Like Cats and Dogs
by Commandant Lupus Ignis
Summary: Three years in to becoming heroes of Paris, Chat Noir hadn't expected to still be kept at arms length by his bugaboo. Three years into becoming heroes, Marinette didn't know when or if she'd ever be able to tell Adrien how she felt, or if he'd return it for her as Marinette and not her as Ladybug. But what was expected least was that another animal persona would mysteriously appear
1. A Thief In The Night

**I live! I appear, what's it been two years later, with a new story! Not only that, but my pen name has changed, and I'm posting this not only on here but other sites as well to make sure everyone can get in on the fun! Now go on ahead and start reading, you lovely readers!**

* * *

February fourteenth was supposed to be a day for celebration. A day for two people to come together and shower one another with all the love and admiration they share for one another.

That's what it's supposed to be, at least.

Instead, for Valentine's day, Chat Noir was on patrol of the city of Paris. Watching to make sure no citizen that may be having a bad day had turned evil by one of Hawk Moth's akumas. There were no roses or candy, not even cards for him on this day. Well, aside from Chloe, but that didn't count to him anymore as she's been trying for years to convince him to date her.

Chat sighed, dropping to a knee on his perch on the Eiffel tower. Scanning the rooftops, his heart sank as he saw no sign of the one women whom he had hoped to see most on this day dedicated to love.

Three years had he been pining for her. Three years they'd been working together to protect Paris and all her residents, and for all three years had he been madly in love with Ladybug and trying his hardest to win her heart the way she had won his so easily.

But on this day, when he hoped to try for a third year to tell her how deeply he loved her and cherished every single moment they shared together, she was nowhere to be seen.

Chat sighed once more as he sat down on the edge of the balcony, swinging his legs off the edge as he pulled his staff from its place on his lower back, he checked the tracker to see if Ladybug was active, only to frown deeper upon realizing that she was in fact not.

Chat returned his staff to its place on his lower back, slouching a little as he looked out over the city. The sun had set a short time ago, so the city was still bathed in the warm light of its setting. But now the buildings began to light up as well in what he thought, at night, was a nice attempt at trying to reflect the stars above that would soon to show up for the night of lovers.

The city of love, on the day of love, and instead he was sat upon the Eiffel Tower, all alone.

What would it take to win Ladybugs heart? Why was it so hard, at that? They'd been working together for three years now. But yet, it felt as though Ladybug still kept him at length even after all this time. Sometimes he felt like he was making headway, like when she'd give him the occasional smile at some of his puns.

But then there were the times when she'd roll her eyes at him without even trying to hide it. Or wouldn't hesitate to interrupt him in an attempt to convince her he could keep the secret of their identities if they revealed themselves. Tell him he wasn't thinking everything through, or that he was letting his own personal emotions get in the way of their work, which was more important.

But wasn't he important too? Wasn't his love that he held for her important? Why couldn't she just look at him as a man with feelings, a mature man who knew how to protect her identity just as well as he protects the city alongside her?

Some days, he wondered if Ladybug would ever feel the same way about him, if she would ever treat him like the man he was, instead of like a bad annoying nosy kitty like she sometimes makes him feel?

Chat shook his head, unwilling to let these negative thoughts stick for long. It was those kinds of thoughts that gave Hawk Moth chance to take people and make them his pawns. He never knew if it was possible that Hawk Moth could akumatize him or Ladybug, but he won't let there even be a chance. His lady needed him, and he wouldn't be much help to her if he was akumatized for tormenting himself about his love life.

Or lack, thereof.

Chat sat on the balcony until the warm colors of the sunset had long faded and night took the city once more. Just as he was about to stand to go back to patrolling the city for a little longer, he saw movement down near the Carousel. Something perched atop the closed carousel as he watched, before darting off down the street.

Odd... It wasn't long ago he checked, but he was certain that Ladybug still wasn't active.

Stretching his legs for a moment, Chat vaulted off the tower after whoever was dashing quickly down the street. Maybe Hawk Moth did manage to catch someone down on this Valentine's day.

Chat pursued the unknown figure all the way to the Pont des Arts, hanging back on the bridge for a second as he watched the figure halt on the edge of the river before the Louvre.

Hanging back gave Chat a chance to examine the figure closer, noticing the fact that, much like himself and Ladybug, whomever this was going for a night run was dressed in a spandex suit. Adorning their collar was, what he could only guess from his distance back, fur. A quick glance at their hands as they reached up to their face noted that fur also adorned the cuffs of their sleeves.

Chat tilted his head in curiosity, never having seen anyone dressed this way before that wasn't either akumatized or masquerading about as a hero like many fans did for him and Ladybug.

Chat slowly began to inch closer as the figure crouched down, their gaze trained on the pyramid. As Chat got ever closer, he noticed something swish across the ground behind the figure, blinking for a moment to make sure he was seeing things right.

Was that...a tail?

Chat was about to abandon all attempts at trying to stay stealthy and walk up to whomever this was to get answers up front when instead they dashed off on all fours towards the pyramid.

Shaking his head to make sure he was actually seeing things right, Chat narrowed his eyes as he watched the figure scale the pyramid with ease, stopping halfway up. The light from within the pyramid gave Chat the opportunity to see more detail on whomever this was.

The person was, in fact, she, from what he could now tell as he saw her hold onto the side of the building with one hand, the other was covered in what appeared to be gloves reminiscent of his own, claws tracing over the glass of the pyramid with careful precision.

Her eyes and surrounding area were covered with a black mask similar to his own, but above her eyes were situated a pair of goggles. The tail that he spotted before swished slowly behind her as he spotted a pair of black latex ears shift subtly atop her radiant white hair.

Was she...dressed like an animal?

Before Chat could even think to consider just openly approaching and finding out who this was, he watched as she plucked a cut piece of glass from the pyramid, tossing it haphazardly down to the ground below.

Suddenly, two lines shot out from around her waist and into the building, and with a yank of her goggles down over her eyes, she dropped into the building.

Well, whoever this was, he couldn't simply let a B and E go so easily.

Chat didn't wait another second before taking off for the building to apprehend the dressed up museum invader, smiling excitedly as he realized maybe he wasn't as alone this Valentine's day as he thought.

* * *

The museum was eerily quiet. So much so that she almost wondered if there was even a single guard on duty tonight. Almost.

After all, this was the Louvre she was breaking into. She expected at least some form of security.

Paws clamped down on the zip line as she neared the floor, one paw free to adjust her goggles as she eyed the room carefully, fully aware of all the little alarms and trip wires set on the exhibits. A quick glance at the walls and she could see the cameras as well.

The soft click and whir of her zip lines unlatching from the ceiling and retracting was the first, and so far only sound she heard as of entering the pyramid. She expected a little more of a challenge, maybe a few guards patrolling.

Not just someone probably asleep at the security desk instead of watching the cameras.

The sound of claws clicking against the floor was the next sound she heard as she maneuvered about on all fours, staying low to the ground to avoid the various infrared alarm trips running between some of the displays.

Within no time, her bright yellow eyes found her target. Secured behind nothing more than a glass case and a velvet rope, the necklace made of silver and emeralds glimmered gently in what little light remained on in the museum.

Staying low to the ground, she knelt for a moment to check more closely. As far as she could see, all she saw were the trip alarms on the case to trigger if opened the normal way.

From what she saw, nothing would trigger if she were to cut from the top of the case. They make it too easy for her.

Another zip-line shot from her waist, attaching to the ceiling right above the display. Slowly rising to a hover above the case, she flipped upside down to set to work.

Her claws barely set on the glass when suddenly a bright light turned on in the room, followed afterwards by various more.

Blinking rapidly to overcome the temporary blindness from change in lighting, her ears twitched as she heard footsteps nearby.

Pivoting on the zip-line, she turned to see a man dressed in black standing not more than a few feet away from her, arms folded over his chest and a Cheshire grin on his mouth.

"I don't think security would appreciate you touching the displays, miss." The man spoke upon seeing that she saw him at last.

The girl tilted her head curiously at him, not needing to take more than a quick glance at him to know who this was. She was, relatively speaking, new to the city. But even tourists knew of Chat Noir, even more so his partner Ladybug.

A quick glance around to make sure she didn't miss his partners entrance as well, she dawned a smile of her own as she pulled her goggles up to her forehead. "I just hoped to appreciate it's beauty a little closer. I promise, I'll keep it nice and shiny." She mused sweetly, tapping the case with one of her claws as she stayed suspended above it.

Chat Noir eyed her for a moment, seemingly sizing her up, before taking a step closer to her. His smile still remained as he unfolded his arms. "Appreciating a purretty piece of art is fine, but breaking out a glass pane and suspending over the display..." Chat gestured to her still being suspended over the glass as he spoke. "I don't think security can just let that go so easily." Chat finished as he put his hands on his waist.

Her smile turned into a sly smirk as she righted herself. Her higher hearing gave way to knowing that he set off a "silent" alarm, so no point in being stealthy anymore. With a click and whir, her lines retracted to her waist once more.

Landing with quiet grace in front of the display, she watched the way he tried to mask his caution of her with the cockiness she had heard the superhero possessed. " _Bene, dannazione._ I hope they're not too appalled my by manners." She hummed, still just as sweet even with the sly smirk that spread to give her eyes a devious glint as well. "I was hoping to get a look at some of the other displays as well, someday." She continued, flashing her pearly white teeth as she matched his pose by placing her paws on her hips.

Chat took another brave step towards her, his cockiness not fading as he continued to smile at her. "I'm sure one day, purrhaps I could even help you by putting in a nice word. But..." Chat clicked his tongue at her as his smile turned into a small smirk as well. "You have to help me out first, before I can assist you, _mademoiselle_." Chat finished, and she almost laughed at the notion alone because he had no idea who she was.

"Oh really? And how could I pawsibbly be of assistance to you, _Signore,_ Noir?" She asked, tilting her head to one side curiously as she watched him carefully for any sudden moves. Instead, his smile only grew at her French and Italian words, likely from adding fire to that ego of his with her own pun to match his own that he was so well known for.

"You could come with me, quietly of course. No fight." Chat Noir offered, and at that offer a wry chuckle left her lips at last.

"Are you asking me to surrender myself unto you, Chat Noir?"

"Easier to me than to the officers when they arrive."

"And what would happen should I refuse to surrender to you or the officers?" She asked, taking a daring step closer to him as she narrowed her eyes tauntingly at the cat superhero.

Chat's smile flickered for a moment, green eyes losing a bit of the shine. His caution of her was spiking from her challenging demeanor. Finally.

"Well..." Chat licked his lips as he sized her up once again, and she swished her tail behind her eagerly, heart rate increasing at the idea that she actually just might have a challenge in stealing the precious jewels from the museum. "I'll have to stop you then, _mademoiselle_. Make it easier for yourself." Chat offered her one more chance to give in.

Another chuckle reverberated up from her chest, instead.

"A cat threatens to subdue a wolf. Well now I have seen everything." The wolf's laughter increased as Chat's own smile faded away at her words. "Pardon my manners." The wolf took a leap back from Chat.

Chat yanked his baton from his back as the women in front of him leaped back away from him. With a pirouette, her back was once more to him as she looked over her shoulder at him, a sly smile still adorning her lips.

Without so much as another glance at him, she strode back over to the glass case.

"Step away from the case, miss." Chat warned, holding his staff out towards her in warning. She clicked her tongue at him before stepping aside to stand beside the case, turning back to him.

"Now don't go getting defensive now, _minou._ We were having quiet the lovely cat before, weren't we? But don't think so high of yourself to think it'll be so easy to catch a wolf like me." The wolf would-be thief spoke in a teasing manner, but as Chat walked closer to her he saw the gleam of deviance in her golden eyes.

Chat took a deep breath, lowering his staff slowly as he watched the women in front of him carefully. He couldn't allow himself to show his alertness towards her, he wanted her to lower her guard just a tad bit more. She won't do that if she knows he's wary.

Flashing a playful smile at the women dressed as a wolf in front of him, he posed his hands on his hips once more. "I've handled my share of akumatized victims over the years, miss." Chat reminded, as obviously the women knew who he was. "Tangoing with a lovely wolf like mew," Chat purred the word as he nodded towards her, winking even as he watched for a break in her demeanor, "will hardly be a trouble for me."

The wolf only giggled at his words. "Don't think so little of me as to associate me with those knock offs, Akumas, Chat Noir." Chat's smile faltered once more as her words floated to him. She wasn't one of Hawk Moth's victims?

Well what the hell was she then?

"Who are you then, miss?" Chat asked carefully, watching as she clicked her claws on the glass of the case while staring him down like he was doing to her.

The women rolled her eyes at him, before with a click of her claws the glass case tumbled off its stand, shattering as it hit the ground. "Quiet the curious little kitty, aren't you Noir?" The wolf asked instead, and Chat held his staff back up now that she knocked the glass case over with so little as a push of her claws upon it.

"Well I'm not a cat for nothing." Chat pointed out, trying to hold a wry smile towards the wolf as she plucked the necklace from the display, holding it on the end of one of her polished white claws.

"You do know the saying about cats and their curiosity, correct?" The wolf asked, stepping closer to Chat as she held the necklace loosely, still smiling at him until they were maybe a foot apart.

"Yes, I do. But it also goes that satisfaction brought it back." Chat held a hand out to her, towards the hand that held the necklace. "If you'd please." Chat said as he nodded towards the necklace, still holding his staff towards her carefully.

"Is that what you're hoping for then, that I'll be the one to satisfy your curiosities, _minou_?"

Chat's breath faltered on his lips, eyes widening slightly at her words as he felt his face flush with warmth, the tell tale sign of a brilliant blush. The wolf only continued to smile at him as he fumbled for a response to her obvious flirting with him. His body froze as he watched her raised a paw up and tussle his hair with a sweet little giggle.

"So it's true, the famous flirt of Paris doesn't know how to react to having the flirting thrown his way. In this case, it's a wolf that's got your tongue." The wolf winked at him, and it was like a spell was lifted from his shoulders as he felt his body and mind unfreeze at last.

But before he could so much as speak, the free hand that he hadn't been watching swiped his staff and slammed it into his side, sending him tumbling over into a nearby statue.

The wolf thief cackled loudly as he was sprawled tail up against the statue, face against the cold linoleum floor as she grabbed the chain of the necklace between two of her canine like teeth. "As fun as this has been, I've gotta dash. _Au revoir,_ kitty cat!" The wolf chimed as Chat groaned, flipping over onto all fours on the cold floor as he looked up at the thief.

With a two fingered salute at him as she pulled her goggles down over her eyes, she dropped to all fours and took off running away from him.

Chat blinked before taking off running after her, grabbing his staff from where she dropped it on the way.

The faint wail of sirens suddenly reached his ears as he chased the wolf thief through the museum towards the front entrance, barely getting close to her before she'd dodge and run a different way. It was like cat and mouse, or cat and dog in this case.

Suddenly, the wolf skidded to a halt and rose to her feet once more, but Chat was still running at her and ended up tumbling right into her legs.

With a loud screech and smack of flesh and spandex on linoleum, the two crashed down to the floor.

The wolf growled low in her throat, teeth baring for a moment before realizing that the cat had knocked the necklace from her mouth as well. With a quick glance around, her eyes narrowed as she spied it on the floor, back behind the sprawled cat superhero.

Rolling over to all fours, Wolf barred her teeth menacingly at the superhero as he too rolled over to all fours. Her ears flattened down a little as well, none too pleased about the sudden tumble he had caused.

Chat reached for his staff, ready to fight as she seemed ready and willing herself. But instead, another laugh left her lips.

Once more, two black lines shot from her waist and up towards the glass ceiling above them. He lunged for her quickly, but she ascended too fast for him to catch her.

With a loud shatter, the wolf smashed her way through the ceiling, glass raining down on Chat as he covered his eyes to protect himself.

"I guess you'll get to keep that shiny little trinket another day, Chat Noir. Until next time!" The wolf called down to him from the ceiling above.

"What, I don't even get a name in return for all the witty banter we exchanged?" Chat yelled back up to her, searching the room quickly for a way to get up to the roof as fast as possible.

The same cackle she emitted when she attacked him back near the displays drifted down to him. "What fun would it be to just give you my name, you're a witty cat! You can figure it out!" Chat looked back up at the hole in the ceiling in time to see her zip away with the aid of her zip-line belt, taking off running for the main entrance to try to stop her only to run smack into Officer Raincomprix.

The Wolf had managed to get away. Chat huffed in annoyance as the officers looked about for the escaped girl. Wonderful, just the way he wanted his Valentine's day to end.

Chat gave a quick rundown of what had happened to Officer Raincomprix before taking his leave, annoyed not only by the fact that he had been outsmarted by a would be thief that wasn't a victim of Hawk Moth, but the fact that a few officers were snickering among themselves after watching the security feed and seeing his pained defeat.

"You didn't allow her to get away with anything, so it was still a job well done, Chat Noir." Officer Raincomprix tried to assure him, but it still didn't feel like it when she chewed up his confidence and ego like a common bone.

"I trust that you gentlemen have everything else under control here." Chat said with a bow at the remaining officers, turning on his heel to go home. Before he could get far enough to extend his staff and start home, Officer Raincomprix stopped him one last time.

"I trust that you and Ladybug will handle this thief with ease, but I hope that this footage will help in identifying whomever it was that you encountered here tonight." Raincomprix said as he handed Chat a copy of the security footage from the night, allowing him to leave at last once he pocketed the disc.

The trip home was worse than having to listen to the officers laugh at him. Once he was alone was when he had the chance to really think about what all had happened. About how he let some wolf with a wry tongue manipulate and take advantage of him to the point she escaped.

The moment he was through his window and his feet touched the floor, he was turned back to himself. Plagg wailed the moment he was free of the transformation. "I'm staaarrrvvving! That took FOREVER!" Plagg complained loudly, so without so much as a quip at how he always claims to be starving, Adrien went ahead and set out a bunch of Camembert for the Kwami.

With Plagg distracted, Adrien dropped into his computer chair with a huff, spinning around to face his computer monitors and pop the disc he received from Raincomprix into the disc drive.

Resting his face on his clenched fist, Adrien played the footage over again and again, watching how the wolf radiated confidence in her every action against him. It finally gave him a chance to really take a look at her, now that he wasn't having to make sure she didn't steal something or knock him through some priceless piece of art.

Adrien paused the footage on the scene of the wolf cackling at him sprawled against the statue she knocked him into, feeling a growl bubbling up from his chest at the sight before Plagg's laughter broke the silence of the room.

His obnoxious laughter that made him want to transform just to silence him for a little while.

"That wolf definitely pulled one over on you, huh?" Plagg laughed through a mouthful of Camembert, laying on the back of Adrien's chair as he looked at the scene on the monitor.

"She caught me off guard, it won't happen a second time." Adrien defended himself, glaring at Plagg briefly before looking back at the monitor.

The black wolf-like ears atop her head shifted about like they were real, and at looking at her tail as she teasingly flirted with him to get his guard down, he had to wonder if those aesthetics really were real like his own.

His ears and tail were fully functional when he transformed, as long as they stayed attached to him, so is it possible that this women he encountered was in fact not just some common day thief dressed up for a job, but a miraculous wielder like himself and his lady?

"I can practically see the smoke as your gears turn while thinking." Plagg teased suddenly, Adrien rolling his eyes at the Kwami's need to taunt and tease him every single chance he got.

"Plagg, is it possible that there's a Wolf Miraculous?" Adrien asked, looking between the computer screen and his Kwami that had finally polished off the last of the Camembert.

"Anything's possible." Plagg said simply, uninterested in whatever he had to say as he continued chewing his meal.

"Plagg..." Adrien growled, not in the mood for games tonight as his ego was battered about enough.

"Whaaattt?" Plagg whined, sprawling his little body out in front of him on the desk. With a huff, Adrien closed out of the footage and opened up his web browser. "What're you looking for now?" Plagg asked as he watched Adrien type away at the keyboard.

"To see if there's anything about a Wolf Superhero, or in this case villain." Adrien corrected himself, as she was by no means a hero like himself or Ladybug.

"What's the big deal? She's just some girl, it's not like she got away with the jewels." Plagg reminded, flopping down on his keyboard now and stretching out as Adrien glared at the little cat.

"She still got away though. She made me look like I'm new to this job, like I don't know what I'm doing after three years of doing this."

"You don't know what your doing at times though."

"That's not the point!"

Adrien ran his hands over his face, steadying his breathing for a moment to calm himself.

Plagg pursed his mouth for a second, before sitting up on the keyboard as Adrien opened his eyes to him once more. "Listen, kid, maybe she's been at this job longer than you have. She definitely seemed more trained than you are, like she knew exactly what she was doing and what you would do next. You can't beat yourself up over some wolf." Plagg lectured his chosen, flopping backwards on the keyboard as he heard Adrien sigh.

"Your right, Plagg. Hell, she might have ten years on me with how she knew to manipulate me and the situation to her whim." Adrien muttered, leaning over the desk again as the computer dinged at Plagg pushing buttons on the keyboard as he laid on it.

"I doubt that much, she looked about the same age as you." Plagg said as he rolled around on the keyboard, before suddenly he was swatted off the device. "Hey! I was having fun!" Plagg protested, zipping back up to sit on top of the monitor this time.

"Plagg..." Adrien pointed at his monitor, Plagg tilting his head like the curious cat he was before floating down to look at what Adrien wanted him to see.

While they were talking, the computer had finished the search he had previously started. Situated on the monitor was a picture of the wolf he encountered earlier in the evening, smiling deviously up at the camera as it obviously was caught on security footage.

His breath hitched at the devious glint in those golden eyes, before flicking his gaze down to the title of the article that the picture belonged to.

" _Rogue Wolf strikes again! Is the wolf on the move?"_

"Well, looks like you found out the name of your "lovely" wolf." Plagg mused, smiling cheekily at Adrien as the young man snapped his eyes to him with a glare.

A known thief had entered their city, well this would definitely be a memorable Valentine's day, that's for sure.

* * *

 **So it begins! First, I'd like to start with a simple, hello readers! I've had this story in mind for about a year now, lots is planned out and will possibly be used. Who knows, as I'm only just now typing it all out. I decided to post this story not only on here, but on QuoteTv as well to cover a bit more of the fan base as the fandom for this show is, simply put, AMAZING! I hope you all stick around, because we're all in for a wild ride!**

 **Quick note, it's been a while since I've written anything for here. Yes, I've still been writing over my absence from posting here, but I've kept all my work for myself mainly. If there are any grammatical errors or any errors at all I haven't seen, feel free to let me know as I get reacquainted with Fanficts publishing.**

 **On to the chapter, I don't know if it's clear enough in the chapter but this is about three years in to Adrien and Marinette becoming the beloved superheroes that they are. So they're a bit more matured up than in the series, but that just makes things a little more interesting, I'd say. Next chapter, we'll get a look in to how Marinette is these three years in, as well as more of a look at that thieving wolf that's been introduced ;) Who says only cat's can be that flirtatiously devious?**

 **I do hope that you stick around, I know it's been a while since I've posted anything but I've still been around! I just love reading what everyone else writes so much I don't join in until later on! Worry not, however, this is bound to be one exciting story that unfolds for all of us! Reviews are much loved and appreciated, until next time amazing readers!**


	2. Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

**I've had to edit this chapter twice now! If my keyboard dies and resets all of it again, so help me. Anyways, there is pictures and other such media that go along with this story. Unfortunately, I cannot put them into the chapters here on Fanfict, but I can on the QuoteTv version. For anyone wanting to see any pictures or video media linked along with this story, I'll leave a link to my QuoteTv account and that version of this story on my profile. There literally both the same, just the difference is in that I can link pictures and music in on there unlike here.**

 **Now go ahead and start reading, you awesome reader you!**

* * *

Marinette sighed loudly, dropping her head down onto her pillow. A whine left her throat seconds later when her alarm went off, letting her know she had to get ready for school.

Another sleepless night.

Rolling over, Tikki floated into her vision. "At least you finished the poem for Adrien." Tikki pointed out, ever the optimist.

Sitting up, Marinette rubbed her eyes in an attempt to fight off the want to sleep.

"Yeah, now I just have to figure out how to give it to him. At least I remembered to sign it this time." Marinette said with a sheepish giggle, standing up from her bed to go start getting ready for the day.

"That's the spirit. Just remember, stay positive. Also remember to breathe." Tikki said, bopping Marinette on the nose with her tiny paw teasingly. The girl was better than she was years ago, now she didn't stutter or stumble as much. But she still had trouble finding the right words to say, also remembering to breathe since it was like the mere sight of Adrien in front of her forced her to hold her breath.

"I know, I know." Marinette said as she waved her hand dismissively at her Kwami and closest friend, other than Alya maybe. "Thanks Tikki." Marinette said quickly before dashing off to change for the day.

Yesterday was Valentine's day, and she had planned to give Adrien something but let Alya and Tikki convince her to wait one more day to make sure she had everything perfect. Also because the last time she tried doing something for Adrien for Valentine's day, she was in such a rush that she forgot to sign her name.

To this day, they were unsure if he even opened the card she sent, let alone had any idea who it actually came from.

Now that it was no longer Valentine's day, she felt a little weight lift off her shoulders. She wouldn't have to compete with hordes of other girls trying to give Adrien something for Valentine's day. She would be free to hand it to him herself.

"Bye, Papa, I'm off to school. Love you, tell _Maman_ I love her too!" Marinette said in a rush as she ran around her father in the kitchen, grabbing a muffin to snack on during the walk and kissing her him on the cheek before dashing out the door.

"Love you too, Marinette." Marinette smiled as she faintly heard her Papa call after her.

Nibbling on the muffin as she walked, she looked down at Tikki as she nibbled on some cookies in her handbag. "Are you nervous?" Tikki asked after swallowing a bite of her breakfast.

"Of course. I don't know how I'm going to give it to him." Marinette moaned, lowering her muffin as her thoughts began to run astray. "I don't even know how he'll react! What if he doesn't like me, Tikki? What if he thinks I'm weird, or obsessive? Oh god, what if he thinks I've been obsessing over him for three years?!" Marinette began to hyperventilate as her thoughts dropped lower and lower.

"Well you kind of have been." Tikki reminded, earning a weak glare from Marinette. "It's been three years, Marinette. I don't think he'll think your weird for having feelings for him. Remember, he might feel the same!" Tikki pointed out, as they were definitely closer now than they were three years ago when they first met.

But only a smidgen more. They usually only talked when at school, or when their entire group was together doing something outside of school.

"Just stay positive. It won't do anyone any good if you start letting yourself panic over how Adrien will take your Valentine." Tikki reminded her nervous friend, smiling up at Marinette as the young woman looked down at her.

Taking a few deep breaths to steady her nerves, Marinette felt a little better. Finishing off what little she had left of her muffin, she finally arrived at _Collège Françoise Dupont_. It felt strange to think that their time was almost finished at their school, soon they'd all be off to university and going on with their lives.

She just hoped that Adrien would still be a part of that life.

Taking one last deep breath, Marinette began to hop up the steps towards the front door. The moment she pushed it open, an arm wrapped around her shoulders, smiling at her best friend that she hadn't even noticed was coming up behind her.

"Hey, girl! You excited?" Alya asked with a knowing grin at Marinette, only earning a fraction of the happiness back as Marinette was still too nervous.

"Not really." Marinette answered honestly, as even though she was a little calmer, thanks to Tikki, she still worried about how Adrien would react to her late Valentine card.

"Oh come on, it's been three years. It's about time you tell him. You did sign it this time, right?" Alya asked, poking her teasingly in the side as they walked towards their lockers.

"Yes." Marinette dragged out the S to try to sound tired of the teasing, but she couldn't help smile at Alya. She knew her best friend just wanted what's best for her, she's been trying to help her express her feelings all these years.

"Just don't let Chloe see you give it to him." Alya reminded, both of them groaning with disdain even at the mention of the Mayor's daughter. Some things have changed over the years. But Chloe's attitude towards them and a majority of their class, that seemed like it never would.

"She would probably rip it right out of his hands and burn it." Marinette said as she opened her locker, grabbing her books quickly as she tucked the card she'd been clutching so tightly into her binder for first class.

"Who would burn what?" Something suddenly interrupted their conversation, Marinette closing her locker to see Nino leaning on the locker next to hers.

"Oh no one." Alya said, flashing a sly smile at Marinette as both of them knew Nino wouldn't believe her. They've known one another so long that he could tell when they were trying to hide something.

As expected, Nino cast them a knowing smile as it was obvious they were talking about something very interesting. "I'll just assume it's something to do with Valentine's day yesterday and won't push." Nino said with a chuckle as Alya sent him a look to not push the subject.

"We should get to class, if we miss the bell Miss. Bustier will probably give us extra homework tonight." Alya reminded, Marinette shuddering as she wanted to sleep tonight. She already didn't sleep last night, and if she gets extra homework for tardiness she probably won't sleep again.

Before Marinette could get more than a few steps, Nino's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "We'll catch up." Nino said, waving Alya away. Alya gave them each a questioning look, but walked off anyways.

"What's wrong, Nino? Did you give Alya her present yesterday?" Marinette asked, smiling up at her good friend as a flush of red colored his face at her question.

"Yeah, but that's not why I stopped you. You were talking about a Valentine for someone, I'm assuming Adrien?" Now it was Marinette's turn to flush red, instinctively clutching her binder closer to her chest. "Don't worry, he doesn't know like I do. Dude's kinda clueless at times." Nino said, punctuating his sentence with a laugh that Marinette couldn't really return as her heart was hammering too hard.

She knew that it was kind of obvious at times how she felt about Adrien, but Nino had never actually pulled her aside to discuss it. It was always between her, Alya and Tikki.

"So did you give him your Valentine already?" Nino asked, smiling softly at her when she shook her head with a mix of nervousness and sadness. "Do you want an easier idea than letting Chloe see you give it to him?" Nino asked instead, turning around and motioning for her to follow him.

Slowly, Marinette followed after Nino. She really hoped Nino wouldn't tell Adrien how she felt. Yes, she wanted Adrien to know, but she wanted to be the one to tell him. After three years, it wouldn't be fair if he heard it from someone else.

They stopped in front of Adrien's locker, the model himself nowhere to be seen. "You could drop it through the slat into his locker, he'll find it when he comes back to his locker at the end of the day. No chance of Chloe finding out." Nino offered the idea with a warm smile. The hammering of her heart in her chest slowed at last, leaving a comfortable warmth as Nino was so kind to help her out.

"Thanks, Nino." Marinette smiled widely up at him, digging the card out of her binder. Nino stayed with her, smiling as well after she slipped the red heart shaped card between the slats into Adrien's locker.

"Now's the hard part of waiting." Nino commented, placing a comforting hand on Marinette's shoulder as they walked to class.

The warmth in Marinette's heart faded slowly at that notion. She hadn't thought of that. Now she'd have to wait hours until Adrien actually went to his locker and found the Valentine.

How could she possibly handle the stress of waiting?!

Walking into class together, Nino left her at last to take his seat beside Adrien, who sent her a smile and a wave as she passed. Once more, her heart was hammering in her chest as she smiled dreamily back at him.

The dreamy smile faded quickly when Chloe's voice permeated her happy thoughts.

"Adrikins, did you like the chocolates I had delivered for you yesterday for Valentine's day?" Chloe asked as she sat on the edge of Adrien's desk, examining her nails instead of actually looking at him as she talked. How could one girl be so rude?!

"I haven't gotten around to them, yet Chloe. I was busy yesterday, I had a shoot almost the rest of the day after class." Adrien answered as he was looking at something on his phone, not giving Chloe much of his attention either. Marinette smiled to herself, glad that the spoiled rich girl didn't get attention when she hardly gave him his own.

The smile faded once again though when Chloe whined in a high pitch about how he could be so mean as to not only not appreciate her Valentine, but not have given her one either.

"Alright, Chloe, to your seat please." Miss. Bustier interrupted Chloe mid tirade by walking into the classroom and sitting down on the edge of her desk. Chloe huffed indignantly, but went to her seat nonetheless.

"Imagine how mad she'd be to find out he got a Valentine from someone else." Marinette whispered to Alya, smiling cheekily at her friend that dissolved into hushed giggles.

Looking up briefly, she caught Chloe glaring back at them, Sabrina glaring at them as well. Albeit not as harshly, as she wasn't as glued to Chloe as she was say three years ago.

Before Chloe could do anymore than glare, Miss. Bustier cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

"Class, we'll be having a new student join our class today." Miss. Bustier advised the class that hadn't had a new student join them since Lila joined three years ago. Hopefully it wouldn't go as badly as it did then.

" _Mon Dieu_ , lets hope she's better than Lila." Alya hissed the girls name. Marinette was a little surprised, and proud, that she hadn't used the nickname she had given Lila. Lie-la, as Alya usually called her whenever their ex-classmate was mentioned, had transferred out of their class about a year in though, probably too embarrassed over always being accused of lying.

"Is it a guy, or another girl?" Kim was the first one to ask a question about the new student.

"Is she nice, does she know Prince Ali, or any of the other Prince's?" Rose piped in next, Marinette and Alya giggling quietly at how Rose automatically assumed their new classmate was a girl.

"Do they have high marks in all their classes?" Max asked, shrinking a little in his seat at the glare Chloe threw his way at his question.

"What kind of question is that? Who cares about grades!" Chloe put Max's question down without hesitation. Marinette bawled her fist at her side, wanting to stand up for Max. Miss. Bustier beat her to the punch, however.

"Chloe, that kind of comment is not necessary. Nor is it welcome in my class, you should know this after all these years." Miss. Bustier chastised Chloe without flinching at the glare the spoiled mayors daughter sent back.

Before anyone could say any more, there was a knock at the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting." Mr. Damocles entered the classroom with his hands folded behind his back. "Students, we have a new student joining your class today. Do your best to help her acclimate to her new school, I know you'll be more than helpful should she need assistance in any of her subjects or navigating the school." Mr. Damocles ignored the quiet uproar of whispered among the class, turning to the door.

It was like the entire class held their breath as they waited for their new classmate to enter, but after a minute of nothing happening, Mr. Damocles cleared his throat. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were still talking, _Monsieur_ Damocles." Someone spoke from outside the door, before finally their new classmate entered.

"It's quiet fine. Go ahead and introduce yourself to your new classmates, if you'd please." Mr. Damocles encouraged as the girl walked up to him, before turning to the class with a bright, warm smile.

" _Allô!_ I'm Tatiana Serafini, I just moved here with my family from Italy. I hope to get to know all of you, and that we become good friends." The new girl radiated kindness, but Marinette for a moment had to wonder if it was genuine or not what with how Lila was when she first arrived.

But upon seeing her kind demeanor didn't falter for even a second as Mr. Damocles spoke to the class, Marinette decided to ignore the feelings of wariness and smiled back at her as Miss. Bustier introduced herself to the new student.

"Well she seems nice, for the moment." Alya muttered quietly to her as Miss. Bustier instructed the new girl to take a seat in the back beside Nathaniel. "Awesome fashion style too, wouldn't you say?" Alya asked, nudging Marinette in the ribs as both of them knew she was more knowledgeable on fashion.

The new girl, Tatiana as she introduced herself, was wearing black Capri pants and a black t-shirt dotted with white stars, a yellow crescent moon standing out near in the center of the fabric. To top it off, she had a white fedora that gave a stark contrast to her black hair. It certainly made her sky blue eyes pop, though.

"She looks like she could be a model like Adrien." Marinette commented about the girls appearance, heart thudding painfully at the idea that Adrien might already know her if she was. If he already knew her, they might be closer than she and he were, so he might be less inclined to have feelings for her if she had to compete with other, prettier girls!

Marinette was interrupted from her thoughts by Alya nudging her in the ribs with her elbow yet again.

"Love the necklace, girl." Alya commented, the first to say anything to the new girl as she passed their row.

Tatiana halted in her steps, looking down at the chain that hung on her neck as though she forgot it was even there. Marinette hadn't noticed it before, but it was actually quiet beautiful. The silver chain held a black, tribal looking tooth. On either sides of it were two beads that resembled the yin and yang symbol.

"Thank you, I forgot I was even wearing it. It was a gift from my _Nonno_." Tatiana said with a sheepish smile, before extending a hand past Marinette at Alya.

"I'm Alya, this is Marinette." Alya introduced the both of them as she shook Tatiana's hand, Marinette shaking it as well after Alya did. "Your name sounds familiar..." Alya muttered, probably to herself but she never did notice when she was louder than she realized.

"I'd keep walking if I were you." Chloe suddenly interrupted them, standing beside her desk now instead of staying seated like she was supposed to. A quick glance down the room showed that Mr. Damocles and Miss. Bustier were too interested in whatever they were discussing to even notice Chloe had gotten out of her seat again. "You stick around those two too long and even your fashion style will start mimicking Barbie." Chloe insulted them with her nose turned up, glaring triumphantly back at her and Alya.

"Chloe that's out of..."

"I don't understand the reference." Tatiana interrupted Adrien in the middle of him standing up for her and Alya. Marinette's jaw almost dropped, but Alya caught her before she could embarrass herself.

"You don't get it? Really? I was calling them as fake as Barbie! What, you've never heard of fakes in Italy?" Chloe asked, glaring at Tatiana now for not getting her reference.

Instead of responding, Tatiana shrugged at her and turned back to Alya and Marinette like Chloe was just white noise in the background. "Sorry, you were saying Alya?" Tatiana asked, continuing their conversation.

Looking back down at Chloe, Marinette watched her open her mouth in disbelief. "Did you just ignore me?!" Chloe questioned the new girl, voice rising to her typical bratty shrieking. When Alya and Tatiana just continued on talking like Chloe wasn't there, Chloe humphed loudly before taking a few steps closer to Tatiana. "Excuse me?!" Chloe slammed her hands on the nearest desk, which happened to be Adrien's and Nino's desk.

"No need to repeat yourself, _douceur._ I ignored you just fine the first time." This time, Alya didn't stop Marinette as her jaw dropped from what she said to Chloe. Almost everyone in the room's jaw dropped, besides the adults who weren't paying attention. The only one who didn't have a jaw drop moment was Alya, as she was busy snickering behind her palm.

"What did you just say to me? Do you know who I am?!" Chloe shrieked louder, and at that Tatiana turned away from her and Alya to face the spoiled rich girl.

"I'm sorry, did I push your buttons a little?" Tatiana asked, holding a hand to her mouth like she hadn't realized what she had just said. When Chloe went to respond, however, Tatiana dropped the hand from her mouth. "Oh darn, I was hoping one of those buttons I'd pushed was the mute button." Tatiana huffed, turning back to her and Alya with a smile as Chloe shrieked louder at the insults that were being thrown at her.

"Girl, we're all going to be best friends." Alya assured her, laughing as Miss. Bustier finally turned to them and ordered Chloe to sit back down.

Marinette started laughing along as well, unable to disagree with her best friend. Anyone who could stand up to Chloe like that was alright in her books.

"Miss. Serafini, if you'd kindly take your seat, we'll begin with class." Miss. Bustier interrupted their laughter after finally silencing Chloe's cries of supposedly being bullied by the new student.

"Yes, ma'am." Tatiana answered back respectfully, before turning back to the two of them and flashing another warm smile. "Don't let her convince either of you that your less than great. I've hardly met you, but I can already tell your both amazing!" Tatiana said sweetly before pivoting on her heel and walking up to her desk.

"She's so sweet I might just get a sugar high." Nino said as he turned to them, smiling innocently as Alya swatted at him to get him to turn back to Miss. Bustier before she noticed.

When her father told her to make a grand impression on her new school, Tatiana hadn't exactly planned for the chance of their being a class bully. As far as the adults knew, she was still sugar, spice and everything nice, at least.

What did he actually expect though. She couldn't stand bullies. They left a foul after taste, so it was only fair to shut her down before she could actually do any more damage than she's probably already done.

The other students seemed nice enough though. The bubbly pair, Alya and Marinette, certainly seemed like they'd make good friends. Taking a seat at her desk, the red headed boy beside her covered his papers shyly before continuing to scribble away.

That's two that are unnecessarily shy. First Marinette, now this boy.

As the boy beside her continued scribbling, she pursed her lips. When he didn't look up for another few minutes, she reached down for her white handbag, plucking a baggie from within.

Tapping the boy on the shoulder, she withdrew her hand quickly when he flinched violently at the interruption. Almost as if he was in a whole other world. Offering him the bag with a warm smile, she almost frowned at how his hesitation was masked with caution. What kind of damage was done to this boy? She could only wonder if it was the blonde girl that she infuriated.

"Would you like some?" Tatiana asked quietly, taking one of the cookies from the bag for herself to show they were safe. Hesitating a moment longer, he took a cookie for himself as well. "You don't have to worry about me being like her." Tatiana pointed down towards the blond, Chloe as the teacher chastised her plenty to learn her name.

With little more hesitation, the boy took a bite from the cookie. Tatiana almost cooed at how sweet he looked, as his face lit up with joy almost as soon as the bite touched his tongue. "Thank you, I love Snicker doodle cookies." The boy whispered his thanks, and Tatiana almost had to cover her mouth to keep herself from cooing at how sweet and innocent this boy was. "I'm Nathaniel." Nathaniel introduced himself, shaking her hand as she offered it to him like she had with Alya and Marinette.

"Nice to meet you, Nathaniel." Tatiana greeted with the same signature warm smile she's been using. Sugar, spice and everything nice. Her father better be proud of her. It felt weird to be this sweet when not working with her mother.

Before long, class cut for lunch break. As Tatiana was shoveling her things into her bag, she looked up when two hands smacked down on her desk. Nathaniel flinched beside her before slipping out of his seat and escaping.

"Now I know why your name sounded familiar!" Alya said, leaning over her desk closer to her. Oh, here we go already. "Your dad's Enzo Serafini, the new Prime Minister of France!" Alya pointed out as Marinette walked up to stand beside her, two other boys walking up behind her as well.

"Wait, your father's Enzo Serafini? I love Delphine Serafini's work!" Marinette piped into the conversation, neither of them aware of the fact that she was in fact not too interested in discussing her parents. She kept up the kind smile, regardless.

"Who's Delphine Serafini?" The blond boy that walked up behind her with another boy wearing glasses suddenly spoke up, and Tatiana had to cover her mouth to stop the laugh that almost sprung at how Marinette was so startled she almost dropped everything she was holding.

"She's a playwright and fictitious writer! I got to go see some of her plays when I was younger with my Papa. Is she going to be organizing some new performances now that you've all moved here?" Marinette asked excitedly, clasping her hands tightly over her binder as Tatiana slung her bag over her shoulder.

"I'm not supposed to say. If you watch her socials or the theater's socials you might find out, however." Tatiana openly laughed this time as Marinette squealed excitedly, pulling out her pink phone quickly to check.

"While she fan girls for the rest of us, name's Nino. Nice to meet ya, dude." The boy wearing glasses and headphones around his neck stepped around Marinette, offering his hand to her.

"Nice to meet you." Tatiana chirped back, shaking his hand before turning to the blond boy that was finally done chuckling at Marinette's enthusiasm over her mothers work.

"I'm Adrien. Is this your first time going to public school?" Adrien asked, and at that Tatiana's smile faltered a little.

"That obvious, huh?" Tatiana asked, still smiling but knowing it didn't quiet reach her eyes. "I was doing private schooling before with one or two others, but what with the move, yeah this is my first public school." Tatiana answered honestly, withholding an eye roll as Alya and Marinette chirped and cooed at something on Marinette's phone.

"Don't let it get you down. This was my first school too, and I made some great friends right away." Adrien said with a smile as Nino clapped him on the shoulder.

The warmth around this boy as he spoke so endearingly about first times going to public school warmed her heart and soul, finding smiling a bit easier. "Thank you, Adrien. That helps to hear. My father wanted me to make sure I made good first impressions." Tatiana shrugged at her words, as she was sure her impression was memorable, but she was uncertain if it would be viewed as good by the other students she hadn't interacted with yet.

"Oh trust me, dudette, you made an awesome first impression! Anyone who can shut Chloe down that fast is more than welcome here." Nino assured her happily, grinning broadly before Alya butted her way between him and Adrien so she could stand in front of her once more.

"So since your still new, Marinette and I were wondering if you'd like to come get lunch with us. Marinette's parents own a bakery. Trust me, anything they make is to die for." Alya assured, grinning at Marinette who blushed lightly at the compliments. She must help her parents with the baking.

Tatiana could only wish she could have that kind of relationship with her parents.

"Mind if we tag along? Your parents cooking is impossible to pass up." Adrien complimented, and this time Marinette lit up like a Christmas tree. Well, isn't that interesting.

Marinette stammered a few seconds before agreeing that Adrien and Nino were more than welcome to join them. Glancing at Alya, she could see her sending knowing smirks at Marinette. Upon seeing that she had seen said smiles, Alya faltered a little bit.

Tatiana only giggled quietly at how obvious it was. But then again, maybe that was just her. She wasn't used to being around so many people so close to her age, so maybe it was just easier for her to read people than it was for others.

"Well, what do ya say? Wanna come grab some lunch?" Alya asked as the boys began heading down the steps towards the door to wait for them, Marinette trailing behind Adrien seconds later.

"Sure, you mind if I just stop at my locker really quick? They were rushing me so much this morning I didn't get the chance to drop off the books I don't need for today." Tatiana said as she lifted one such book, dropping it into her bag after.

A quiet growl followed that almost broke her entire sweet demeanor, hoping she was the only one who had heard that.

"Sure, we'll wait by the main entrance for you." Alya said before heading down the steps after the other three.

She followed her down and turned right out the door after they went left. Finding her locker was easy, ignoring the hushed mutters from her bag on the other hand was not.

"You couldn't have dropped it a little more to the left?" Tatiana rolled her eyes as she opened her bag, taking the book back from the angry resident of her bag.

"Maybe you shouldn't hide in my bag then. Usually you hide in my jacket." Tatiana reminded, only for the voice to huff at her indignantly.

"I would have, if you had actually worn a jacket today. Can't hide somewhere that isn't there, kid." Tatiana chuckled at her angry friend, before he peeked out of her bag and glanced around. "Are you really going with those strangers?" The angry little wolf creature questioned, looking around carefully as he spoke.

"I have to play nice, remember Verro. Not everyone can be a grumpy old wolf like you." Tatiana teased, sticking her tongue out at her Kwami as he huffed indignantly once again.

"I'm not old! I'm only five thousand!" Verro barked at her teasing, up until she dug out the little baggie she had prepared just for him.

"Give or take a couple hundred years." Tatiana continued on teasing her closest friend in the whole world, waiting for him to duck back into her bag with his lunch before closing her locker.

"Just be careful." Verro said as she turned to go meet the others near the entrance, mouth full with his lunch no doubt from his muffled words. "You don't know these kids. For all you know, they could be one of those Hawk Moth types we heard about." Verro reminded her of what he had been trying to tell her all morning before coming to school.

"Oh please, Verro. I hardly could think any of these students could be like him. Let alone even have a Kwami. Though if they had a Kwami like you..." Tatiana trailed off, giggling as she felt her bag shift violently as Verro tried to kick her side through the fabric.

"Oh yeah, let's go to public school for maybe a year." Verro mocked as she kept walking, sure no one could hear him as he was eating while he spoke. "Nothing will go wrong at all." Verro continued on, and she couldn't help laugh at his words.

"You worry too much." Tatiana pointed out, if they hadn't been found out yet after all the years they've been together already, there was very little chance they'd be found out any time soon.

"Her fatal words before being found out as the neutral wolf holder." Verro only continued on, before Tatiana glared at him for burping loudly at his lunch. "Did you pack more meatballs?" Verro asked, forgetting the conversation in favor of his favorite spicy stuffed meatballs.

"Bottom of the bag." Tatiana said simply before shushing him as she neared the other three students.

"Find your locker okay?" Adrien asked as she walked out the doors to them.

"Yeah, we can go now if you'd all like. I hope I didn't hold you up for too long." Tatiana said while casting an apologetic smile to the four hopefully new friends.

"'Course not. Marinette's place is right near by. Let's go before Chloe finds out your coming with us Adrien and tries to invite herself." Alya stuck her tongue out in disgust at even the idea. Marinette too made a face before the five of them started walking.

Tatiana could only smile at the closeness of the four. Maybe one day she'd be so lucky to have so many close friends.

* * *

 **Vocabulary (Sorry forgot to do this last time!)**

 _Maman_ = Mom  
 _Mon dieu_ = My god  
 _Monsieur_ = Mister  
 _Allô =_ Hello  
 _Nonno_ = Grandfather  
 _Douceur_ = Sweetness

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 **So there's a look into not only our new student, Tatiana, but her Kwami as well. As I said at the beginning of the chapter, there are reference pictures. On the QuoteTv version I linked in a picture of Verro. It almost exactly looks like how I want to portray him, I spent longer working on that picture than actually writing this chapter.**  
 **Anyways, this chapter was heavy Marinette POV to try to capture how she is. We'll get better insight into all the characters, trust me, but I had to get the introductions in for the OC's. I really hope I captured Tikki right though, that kind of positivity is infectious!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it's a lot of fun writing them. Thanks once again for reading, until next time!**

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 _All pictures used in Like Cats and Dogs belong not to myself, but their respective artists. Regardless of if they were edited by myself, all credit belongs to the original artist as they were found around the web, primarily Pinterest._


	3. A Mid Night Run

**First, I'd like to start with I tried to put the link to my QuoteTv account and version of this story on there on my profile, but Fanfict refuses to allow me to. So, I go by Lupus Ignis on there. If you can't find me by my name, feel free to PM me and I'll be more than happy to send you the link! Now go ahead and start reading!**

* * *

Tatiana could only smile at the closeness of the four. Maybe one day she'd be so lucky to have so many close friends.

Tatiana in school and out were like two entirely different people.

Actually, scratch that, they _were_ two different people.

Ruffling the white main atop her head, she whistled along to some pop American song as she suspended upside down beside a brick wall, shaking the spray paint can. With a tut of her tongue, she dropped the empty canister, grabbing another from her belt as she heard the empty canister clunk on the pavement far below.

" _It's starting to get late, Tiana._ " Tatiana rolled her eyes at the internal voice, righting herself on the zip line.

" _It was late last night too, but that didn't stop us._ " Tatiana reminded her Kwami that allowed her to transform like this whenever she felt like it. She had to wonder if other Miraculous holders were as close with their Kwami's as she and Verro were. From what she learned, being able to communicate while transformed was a great feat unto its own.

" _No but the black cat did._ " Tiana rolled her eyes yet again. She wasn't annoyed in the slightest by the Hero having inadvertently stopping her from snatching the necklace last night, but Verro on the other hand...

Rogue Wolf, as she was known while transformed now a days, blew a kiss at her artwork. She's spent many a nights irritating cities to no ends with her hi-jinxes, Paris was just the newest target now that she had to relocate.

Now stamped onto the brick of the building was a black and red paw print, matching the one that she had stamped into the spandex of her shoulder. The signature of the Rogue Wolf, as she's made it. It's only fair to alert them to her presence.

What fun is it to just sneak around, the challenge of the job is where the real fun is!

"You must be kitten me." Rogue grinned at the voice, spinning on the zip line to face the hero that had interrupted her marking of territory.

Chat Noir was perched on the edge of the building across the street from her, looking not too amused this time as he had been last night when she encountered him. "Ah, _buonasera_ , Chat Noir. You aren't following me like a stray little alley cat, are you?" Rogue chirped teasingly as she hung from her zip line, grinning wickedly at him as she spied a change of color to his face at her words.

"Not at all, Rogue Wolf. It's not hard to find someone who's spraying graffiti on the side of a bank." Chat Noir once more had that cocky air about him that he had during their previous encounter.

Well, until she threw him into a statue and ran off. Ah, good memories.

"Ooh you figured out my name, kitty cat. I'm so proud!" Rogue mused, clasping her paws to her face with mock pride. It seemed the mocking went straight over his head, however. He only grinned wider at her than he had the previous night, standing up now as he looked down at her.

"Well, it's not hard to find out the name of a well known thief, like yourself." Chat Noir pointed out as he folded his arms over his chest cockily. "Especially not for a hero like me. It is my job to stop people like you, after all." Was he flexing his arms now? First flexing of the pride, now this?

"Well someone's got a case of the swollen ego." Rogue mused, turning her back to him once more to repel back up to the roof.

The moment her feet touched the roof, the cat vaulted over to her, landing on all fours beside her as her lines retracted once more.

"It's called pride, miss. My lady and I work hard to keep villains like you at bay." Chat Noir said with a wave down towards where her artwork was displayed.

"Me? A villain?" Rogue teased, punctuating her sentence with a scoff. "I would hardly consider myself a villain. I prefer the term neutral, or better yet, rogue." Rogue grinned so wide, she was sure that the Cheshire cat himself would be jealous.

Chat Noir even seemed to appreciate her sense of humor, chortling briefly at her words. It stopped as soon as their was a trio of beeps from behind his back.

"Ooh, it seems the kitty cats owner beckons him home." Rogue teased, sticking her tongue out at the cat as she stepped passed him, stroking a teasing claw along his spandex clad arm. She felt the beginning of a shiver under her claw, before he yanked his baton from its hiding spot on his back.

If she was correct in her assumption, Ladybug would soon be on her way should he answer that call and request her back up. It would hardly be a problem, but she wasn't particularly interested in playing with the bug just yet.

"So you do know how Miraculous' work. Was I right to assume that's why your dressed like that?" Chat Noir asked as she continued walking away from him and towards the other end of the roof.

"Huh, why would you assume that? Maybe I like looking like a lovely wolf, ever think of that option?" Rogue asked, winking at Chat Noir over her shoulder. The moment he opened his baton up to answer Ladybug, however, she shot a zip-line out to escape. "Watch the curiosity, kitten! You never know if it will be the one to bite you, or if I will." Rogue flashed her teeth with a cheeky smile before she was yanked off the roof, soaring through the air before Chat Noir could even yell at her to stop.

One of the fun parts of being a neutral wielder like herself was the fact that she didn't have to rely on Verro for her power. She didn't have to worry about exhausting her power, because all of her little tricks and escape methods were developed by her. Verro was just so kind as to incorporate them into her outfit.

There was little doubt that Chat Noir was chasing her down, so with a quick glance behind to solidify that he was in fact following, she yanked her goggles down over her eyes.

Cackling excitedly, two more lines shot from her belt, dragging her faster through the air and faster away from the hero.

* * *

Chat had barely had a chance to say hello to Ladybug when Rogue Wolf shot off the roof, the zip-line from her belt anchoring onto a nearby building as she soared through the air. With a yelp, he hung up on his lady and took off after her.

There was no way he was letting her get away a second time. Once was enough of a pride killer.

Extending his baton, he started to vault after Rogue Wolf. Not more than a few buildings away, she glanced back at him briefly. What was she up to now?

Suddenly, two more lines shot from her belt, and she repelled away faster as they anchored into adjacent buildings. It wasn't just gear to hover over displays or repel beside buildings to spray paint, it was full mobility repelling gear to get around. Almost like Ladybug used her Yo-yo to move around, except she obviously had a lot more control in her speed and direction as she cackled loudly and changed direction quickly.

He could only hope that Ladybug understood his hang up call was for a good reason and came to help him.

As he vaulted after the would-be thief, she started speeding up. She was gaining distance on him and fast. If he didn't get help from Ladybug soon, she'll out run him again with that gear of hers.

Rogue Wolf glanced back at him again as she soared clear over a rooftop. They were nearing the Seine, hopefully Ladybug was somewhere nearby by now. He doubted that the wolf would only spray paint a building and be done like that, she must have other plans.

With a whir of lines retracting, Rogue went flying into the air again. As he was falling with his own baton, he noticed they were above the river.

Changing direction as fast as he could, he came to a roll beside the river as Rogue was still falling. When he didn't see anymore lines shoot from her belt, his heart leaped into his throat as with a resounding splash, she smashed down into the water.

Regardless of her being a thief or not, he extended his baton into the icy waters, leaping to perch to try to drag her out. She couldn't have wanted to drop into the river, right? She wasn't that reckless, was she?

"Chat Noir, what's going on?" Ladybugs voice would usually sooth his every worry and make his days a million times better, but he continued scanning the water. Waiting for a flash of black or white among the dark blue, but nothing came.

"That wolf I told you about just fell in the river, Ladybug!" Chat Noir called back to her from where she stood on the shore. "Scan the river, make sure she didn't get caught by one of the docks!" Chat usually wasn't the one to give orders, it was always Ladybug. But he couldn't just ignore his conscience of someone falling into the river and possibly drowning.

No one deserved that, not even a mischievous thief.

When after fifteen minutes there was no sign of her, Chat dropped down onto the Pont des Arts. Ladybug landed beside him not more than a few seconds later. "She probably swam down river and then ran off on foot. We can't drag the river, Chaton, it's too dark and too cold to stay in there long." Ladybug pointed out. His heavy heart only elevated slightly at her familiar nickname for him.

He was a hero, how could he let a thief get away from him twice in a row now? Or if it were worse, how could he let something bad happen to any of Paris' citizens that they were supposed to protect?

Chat tilted his head to the side with a sigh as Ladybug laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, unable to stop himself from leaning into her. Her touch was addictive to him even after all these years. The occasional trail of her finger under his chin to tease him as they worked to stop Akumas was one of his favorite pass times. But when she actually held him, or squeezed his shoulder like she was currently doing, it was enough to make him feel like he was floating and would never come down.

"Don't let it get to you, Chat. I'm sure someone like her is fine. You said you think she's wielding a Miraculous after all. Besides, a little cold serves her right for spray painting a bank." Ladybug said, a tinge of disgust in her tone at the notion of the bank. So that's why she took so long showing up, she saw the paw print on the bank.

"It's nice to see you tonight by the way, bugaboo." Chat said, smiling warmly at his lady as he took her hand from his shoulder to try to press a kiss to it.

Try, as the moment his mouth got near her covered hand, she poked a finger against his nose and pushed him back.

Well, there goes the warm fuzzy feeling in his heart for her. Rubbing his nose, he sent her a small pout at her actions.

"You know how I feel about boundaries, Chat." Ladybug reminded him, patting him on the head instead of letting him shower her with the love he's felt for her all this time.

Why does she have to treat him like some stray alley cat begging for milk?

"It's getting late, I'm sure your probably running out of time by now after having to chase that wolf down." Ladybug stood up, offering her hand to him to help him stand. Even while feeling like a rejected kitten, he couldn't turn down the chance to feel her touch against him.

She was his addiction, no matter how many times she tried to cure him of those emotions that he clung to so dearly for her.

No matter how many years may pass, he's never going to stop loving his bugaboo. Nor will he ever lose hope that one day she will feel the same way about him that he does for her.

"I'll see you next patrol then, my lady." Chat said before she threw her yo-yo and zoomed away, sending him one last smile before she was gone from view.

His eyes lingered briefly on the last spot he saw his bugaboo, before giving one last glance at the river. Ladybug was likely right, as usual. If Rogue Wolf was in fact carrying a Miraculous, she would have likely not been too affected by the rivers currents or biting chill.

Chat really just hoped he was right to assume she had a Miraculous. He didn't want to wake up tomorrow to see the news read a body had washed ashore.

The black ring on his hand beeped, letting him know he couldn't linger any longer. He needed to get home and get some sleep, he already had a fit full nights sleep last night.

Dragging his eyes along the river one more time, he extended his baton and began the journey home.

The next morning, Adrien was yelled for multiple times by Nathalie and the Gorilla to hurry up or else he'd be late for school. He couldn't leave before checking to make sure no one washed up anywhere along the Seine.

Plagg chewed noisily on his breakfast from his hiding place in his button-down. Fortunately, the little cat must not feel up to teasing him today about his lack of sleep.

He slept, just not much more than he had the night before. It's not his fault if he can't relax and tosses and turns all the night. It earned him plenty of glares from Plagg though before he floated off to sleep on the couch instead.

"You are gonna suffer today, kid. Running on little sleep and having to do your sword play, sucks to be you." Plagg teased him at last, likely because he had finished his Camembert and had nothing better to do while they rode to school.

Adrien groaned, leaning his head on the window. He had forgotten he had fencing practice after school. Why is it Plagg can remember stuff like his schedule, but can't remember to put back the various "shiny" objects he drags into his room from elsewhere in the mansion?

"Ooh, there's the new girl." Adrien looked to his side as the car rolled to a stop, Plagg having escaped from his shirt to peek out the window at the entrance to the school.

As he had pointed out, there stood the new girl, Tatiana, with Alya. Alya was shoving her face in Tatiana's face every few seconds, so he already knew what she was doing. He couldn't help the slight smile at her fan girl moments over his alter ego and his lady.

Adrien had spoken very little with Tatiana yesterday after their introduction. She accompanied them to Marinette's parents bakery, but there was very little interaction between them. She was probably nervous, what with being at a new school and among new people.

He was lucky, in a sense. When he first started, he at least knew Chloe. He also got to know Nino real fast so he had someone to talk to and make him feel less alone.

But looking at her now as she talked with Alya, she looked like there wasn't an ounce of jittery nerves in her, or that she's ever even felt alone since walking into their classroom yesterday.

A frown overtook what little smile he had over seeing Alya gushing over Ladybug and Chat Noir. From the sounds of it, Tatiana had parents as busy or more busy than his own. Was she more lucky than him though in that her parents actually treated her like she mattered? Like they cared about him?

Adrien wiped the frown from his face as he stepped out of the car, thanking Nathalie and the Gorilla quietly before starting to head up the steps towards the entrance.

Suddenly, someone bumped into him and almost knocked him over on the steps, grabbing their arm to steady himself and them before either of them could take a tumble.

"I-I'm so sorry, I wasn't..."

The squeak was enough for him to know it was Marinette that bumped into him, laughing as he was used to this by now. Both of them steadied before he let go of her arm, smiling at her reassuringly.

"It's fine, Marinette. Neither of us fell or got hurt, that's whats important." Adrien said with a smile, kneeling down to pick up the bag that she had dropped when she ran into him.

"I'm really sorry, Adrien." Marinette said once more after he handed her her bag, an embarrassed flush of red on her face as she hugged her bag to her chest. "I was in such a rush I didn't pay close enough attention to where I was going." Marinette explained, an uneasy smile on her lips that made his heart clench.

"It's fine, honest. You weren't hurt. Nothing in your bag was broken, I hope. No need to apologize." Adrien assured her, reaching out and patting her on the arm comfortingly. Seeing Marinette uneasy or upset was like seeing a kitten or puppy be stepped on and squeal. It was so heart wrenching that it made you want to do anything to wash away that pain and return the usual happiness and sunshine that she usually radiated with.

"Girl there you are!"

Marinette was spirited away before she could say another word to him, Alya dragging her like a rag doll up the stairs. What was that about?

Shaking his head, as he'll never truly understand what Alya was up to because it was, well, Alya, he started heading up the steps as well to go grab his books from his locker for first class.

His locker was barely in sight when he saw Alya once again, leaning on Marinette's shoulder as they talked to Tatiana who was at her own locker. A sharp cry of Ladybug from Alya had him smiling once again, a chuckle leaving him as he made it to his locker.

Sometimes he wondered if Alyas love for Ladybug was nearing the strength of his own love for his partner.

As he opened his locker, a foul smell suddenly blasted him in the face. Immediately, he knew who the culprit had to be.

"Plagg what did you put in here?" Adrien hissed quietly to the cat still hiding in his shirt.

Rummaging through his locker for the source, Plagg suddenly darted out of hiding and into his locker. "I left my lunch behind? How could I possibly forget something so important!" Plagg wailed, ignoring Adrien when he shushed him. Glancing around, he was glad to see no one must have noticed the extra voice.

Suddenly his hand came back wet, scrunching his face up in disgust as he looked at the unknown substance. "Plagg!" Adrien hissed his name yet again, glaring at his Kwami as he realized what was now coating his hand, and the entire bottom of his locker, was cheese sauce.

"What? You were in such a rush to get home yesterday that I forgot to grab it. It's not my fault." Plagg defended, folding his stubby little arms over his chest.

"How am I supposed to get rid of the smell?" Adrien growled at the cat, pulling out stray papers that were covered in the yellow substance. There was even a red heart shaped card that he hadn't seen before soaked in the substance.

"Ooh, another love letter?" Plagg asked, snatching the cheese drenched paper from his hands. He proceeded to lick all the sauce off the card, Adrien only left to watch in disgust at the Kwami's actions.

"Is it another one from Chloe?" Adrien asked as he piled the ruined papers on the floor beside his locker to dispose of before class.

"I dunno, I can't make out much of it. The cheese smeared a lot of it." Plagg said, before literally throwing the card right in his face. "I'm bored, lets just leave the rest of this mess and go to class so I can take my morning nap." Plagg said before yawning and diving back into his shirt to hide.

All Adrien could do was sigh. Why did he have to get the most lazy Kwami there is?

Picking up the card that fell after it smacked him in the face, he noticed Plagg was indeed right. Much of the words were smeared to the point where they were unreadable.

"Ooh, whats that?" Adrien looked up, smiling up at the three girls now standing beside his locker. The question itself seemed to come from Tatiana. "Is that a late Valentine?" Tatiana asked, smiling the same warm grin she held yesterday when introducing herself to everyone.

"Who's it from, Adrien?" Alya asked, also smiling at him. Her smile held the mischief that he's learned to recognize after being friends with her for three years, however.

"I have no idea. Its all smeared and unreadable." Adrien said as he stood up, still holding the card. It was snatched out of his hands within seconds by Alya, only able to blink at the speed at which she moved.

"What did you do to it? And what the hell is that smell?" Alya asked before pinching her nose at the stench that permeated the card and flowed out from his locker. Curse you, Plagg!

"I didn't do anything to it. I just found it in the bottom of my locker. Something spilled in my locker over night, I guess. It's all over a lot of my things." Adrien said as he scratched the back of his neck anxiously, still silently cursing his hiding Kwami for putting him in such a situation.

"Really? I would have thought you'd be the neat and tidy type." Tatiana commented, smiling teasingly at him. Marinette chuckled quietly along with her, but he noticed she wasn't really smiling while laughing. She wasn't still shy about bumping into him earlier, was she?

"You should be more careful. You never know, this card could have come from the love of your life, Agreste." Alya waved the card in front of him as though to say it was his fault it was ruined. He glared at her slightly for the gesture, before taking the card from her and putting it in the pile to be disposed of.

"I doubt that, it was probably Chloe again since I never got around to finding the Valentine she sent me on Valentine's day." Adrien said before closing his locker. He'd deal with the rest of the mess, and the smell, later after class.

Looking back at the girls, he frowned as he noticed a pained expression on Marinette's usually happy face. A glance at Alya, and she looked annoyed by something. What was going on between them?

"Oh I gotta get to class!" Marinette suddenly squeaked, before bolting away and down the hall towards their classroom. Alya looked down at him with a small glare before dashing after Marinette.

What was that for? What had he done now to deserve Alya being annoyed with him?

"Would you like some help?" Adrien looked back up, not having realized that Tatiana hadn't ran along after the other two. His face flushed with warmth, embarrassed that he had just completely overlooked her because he was busy with his own thoughts.

"Sure, if you don't mind the smell too much." Adrien said, smiling apologetically at her as not everyone could handle the strong smell of cheese. He was unfortunately forced to get used to it, because Plagg only liked the stinkiest cheese around.

"Oh it doesn't bother me. What with my mother and her job, I've learned to get used to all sorts of smells." Tatiana explained while picking up a portion of the ruined papers. He noticed however that at the mention of her mother, the warmth and happiness that she's been radiating since arriving diminished slightly.

"Your mother's the playwright, right?" Adrien asked, deciding to make idle conversation. If he could find another friend among their school, or even help her by giving her another friend, he'd feel a little better about that little frown she has when her mother is mentioned.

"Yes. Marinette's still lurking her socials to see if we have an event coming up." Tatiana said, and at the mention of Marinette's excitability they both laughed quietly. Marinette was something else, alright.

"Do you work with her, on her plays or in them?" Adrien asked as they walked over to the trash, tossing the nasty papers away. So help him, if Plagg does something like this again he's only going to feed him broccoli for a week. See how he enjoys food with no smell and little flavor.

"In them." Tatiana's answer was brief, like she didn't want to talk about it. The air around them became awkward before they began heading towards their shared classroom. "What do you do, Adrien? I've heard from the other three that you were a model before." Tatiana broke the stagnant air about them, smiling at him once more as though she'd completely forgotten about the topic of her work.

"I'm still a model. My father owns Gabriel, named after himself obviously." Adrien explained, smiling gently at the new girl in hopes that the awkwardness would stay at bay this time.

"Oh, your that Adrien Agreste. My _grand-père_ mentioned your father before. He said that he knew Gabriel from years ago, before I was even born apparently." Tatiana said, peaking his curiosity as he hadn't heard his father mention anyone with the surname Serafini before. His father was one for appearances, so he would have assumed he'd want the world to associate two big names like theirs.

"What's your grandfathers name?" Adrien asked as they reached the classroom, holding the door open for her and earning a curt nod and what he assumed was a thanks in Italian.

"Adrien, Tatiana, I assume your almost late to my class because you were helping Tatiana learn her way around school?" Miss. Bustier asked, interrupting their conversation. With a glance at his watch, he realized that they had a minute before the bell rang. He's glad they weren't late, he doesn't want extra homework that will be at risk of ruin by Plagg.

"I was helping Adrien with his locker, Miss. Something spilled all over his papers, so I helped him throw them out." Tatiana spoke before he could even have a chance to take Miss. Bustiers excuse of having been helping the new student. He wasn't one for lying, ever, but taking an out from the teacher wasn't exactly lying, was it?

Tatiana smiled at him one more time before heading up the stairs towards her desk, leaving him to take his own seat beside Nino, who was eyeing him suspiciously for whatever reason.

"Getting to know the new girl a little better, huh?" Nino asked, smiling knowingly at him as the bell rang to start class. Adrien could only roll his eyes at his best friend, knowing right away where he was going with this.

"She helped me toss out some ruined papers, Nino." Adrien assured quietly as Miss. Bustier took attendance. "Also, she could do with some friends. I still remember how I felt when I first started here. I was more lucky though in that you and I got along so quick." Adrien said before noticing Nino was looking back at Alya and Marinette's desk behind them, turning around just in time to catch Marinette hide behind one of her books.

What is going on today? Seriously, this is just getting worse as time goes on.

"Well, she's making friends quick with Alya and Marinette. Nathaniel too, from the looks of it." Nino whispered before Adrien sneakily looked back to see that Tatiana was indeed getting on well with Nathaniel, both of them munching on what looked to be muffins.

"No such thing as too many friends." Adrien reminded, before Miss. Bustier demanded their full attention by starting class at last.

* * *

Marinette put her book down finally once Adrien stopped looking back at them or Tatiana. Her heart was still pounding painfully against her rib cage. She's gotten better, but the nerves around Adrien right now were just too much.

It still hurt to look at him, knowing that her Valentine had been ruined by whomever spilled something in his locker. It couldn't have been his fault, he was so clean and organized and...just perfect in general. Why couldn't he have found the card yesterday, before it got ruined?

Alya was doing her best to try to remind her that she could still make another card to give him, to try to keep her positive, but it wasn't the same. Valentine's day was a special day, a romantic occasion that she had wanted both of them to associate with her expressing her feelings for him at last.

Now, she had to wait another year if she wanted to use that romantic occasion to express herself again.

A tap on her shin pulled her eyes down to her bag, Tikki having poked her to get her attention. Her friend smiled encouragingly up at her. She knew Tikki was trying to remind her everything would turn out fine, she was the most positive person, Kwami, creature she knew.

Looking away from Tikki and back down at Adrien as he wrote notes, she found a small smile finding its way to her at last. She couldn't let this get to her, she wouldn't!

There were plenty more opportunities than Valentine's day. She could even make another card and give it to Adrien directly this time, instead of cowering and putting it in his locker. Or better yet, she could bake him something and ask him if he'd like to come back to her parents bakery for lunch and frost a message on whatever she makes him!

There were so many possibilities hitting her all at once, she could only grin excitedly. A nudge in her side let her know Alya saw she was smiling once more. Turning to her, she shared the grin with her before they turned their attention back to the lesson.

Once class broke for lunch, she turned to Alya with a grin once more plastered on her lips. "Soo...what we smiling so much about?" Marinette turned around to face Tatiana, who was also smiling at them as she stood beside their desk.

"N-nothing!" Marinette quickly responded, but found her eyes flicker down to Nino and Adrien as they left for lunch.

If possibly, Tatiana's smile only grew more. Did she know?!

"Okay, so how long's this been going on?" Tatiana asked, sitting on the edge of their desk as she nodded towards the door where Adrien had just left.

"Three years." Alya answered before Marinette could tell her nothing was going on, glaring at her best friend for sharing so openly about her love for Adrien. "What? You act like it's not totally obvious to everyone but him." Alya said, unfazed by her weak attempt of a glare.

"So that was your card that got ruined then." Tatiana put the pieces together easily. Marinette's heart sank, waiting for the inevitable teasing, only for Tatiana to just keep smiling that warm smile. "Well, let's try again." Tatiana said, clapping her hands together as Marinette flinched at her words.

Wait, what? "Excuse me?" Marinette asked, looking bewildered between her and Alya.

"I'm gonna help you tell your prince charming how you feel, Marinette." Tatiana answered with a beaming grin that did nothing to settle the buzz of her nerves.

"Alright! Let's get you caught up then, girl!" Alya chirped, and all Marinette could do is sink in her seat as she realized she had no say anymore in what was to happen.

* * *

 **Vocabulary**

 _Buonasera_ = Good evening

 _Grand-père_ = Grandfather

* * *

 **Ooh, new player enters the fray of Marinette's love life! Let's see how this ends up turning out. Also, can I just mention how I absolutely love writing Plagg? His comic relief is just so much fun!**

 **Before I say anything else, I'd like to ask a question. I've been reading around, and I realized that my work is actually a lot longer than what most others post for chapters. I wanted to check to make sure that this isn't a bad thing for you guys. Usually, I set a quota of ten pages for a chapter. I've been doing this for years for my various other stories, but I never really thought about if that makes the story more interesting for you guys, or less. So please, feel free to let me know if it's bothersome or if you don't mind at all.**

 **Thanks again as always for reading! Even bigger thanks to those of you that favorite or alert the story, as that makes me very happy to see you enjoy it that much! I hope to see some reviews soon so I know how I'm doing so far, or if you guys think the chapters or too long. But until then, back to writing! See you guys next time!**


	4. Familial Ties

**Thank you everyone that's been reading so far, I really appreciate and enjoy seeing you all enjoying it! No go ahead and start reading, you wonderful people you!**

* * *

Adrien tugged his mask on with ease, his foil ready to go on the bench behind him. He really needed this practice.

This morning, he was disappointed to be reminded of having practice today. But as the day has gone on, he realized he really needed it. Fencing his teacher or some of his fellow students might help relieve some of the tension he's been building over the last few days.

Their previous instructor, D'Argencourt, had left about a year ago to go pursue a new career. He had to wonder if it had anything to do with his losing to Mayor Bourgeois three years ago as well. D'Argencourt never did seem satisfied with his job anymore after his failed run for mayor.

They've had alternating instructors ever since, but there has been rumors floating around that they would soon have a more permanent instructor finally. One such rumor he heard was that they'd have a world renowned instructor, one whom even taught students that went on to compete for junior Olympics.

Adrien never was one to believe rumors, though. Considering the hiring was done by Mr. Damocles, he was sure he'd find an instructor much more budget friendly.

Walking out to the courtyard, every other student was already waiting, and even a few new that he couldn't recognize due to their masks. But their instructor for today had not yet arrived.

"Students, today you will be meeting your new permanent Fencing instructor." Mr. Damocles entered the courtyard with a person already in uniform and ready to begin.

Well, maybe part of the rumors were true then.

"I would like you to meet your new instructor. Mr. Roux." Mr. Damocles stepped back for their new instructor to step forward and introduce himself.

A quiet buzz of whispers started among them as their instructor looked them down from inside his mask. He was a tall, intimidating man from the looks of it. And that was while hidden within the uniform.

"I'm sure plenty of you have heard of me." The man began, removing his mask to show the face of a man who looked just as intimidating as Adrien thought he was before he saw his face.

Suddenly, it was like a light bulb turned on as he recognized the man. He never knew that Bastien Roux was a Fencing Instructor...

Maybe those rumors were a lot more true than he thought they could have been.

"Many of you probably know me for my career as a Composer. Less know me for being the top swordsman and Fencing instructor of France and many other countries." Bastien continued as he walked to stand in the middle of them. "I'd prefer you not think of me as being on such a high pedestal. Instead, think of me as your teacher whom will help you hone your skills and appreciate the art of Fencing." Bastien finished with a humble smile that silenced the quiet buzz of whispers instantly.

Adrien had heard of Bastien Roux before. Father had worked with him before, but he never met him himself. When Father was working on some sport designs, he called on Bastien as a consultant. To make sure that what he was designing would not only look fashionable, but he able to withstand the extra stress of whatever sport they were worn during. From what he could gather, Father knew Bastien Roux very well.

No one dared ask any questions, or even whisper among themselves. Even with his humble honesty of himself, Bastien Roux still intimidated every last one of them into silence.

When there was still silence for another minute, Mr. Damocles excused himself and practice began.

The biggest difference that Adrien noticed between Mr. Roux and D'Argencourt right out the bat was that unlike D'Argencourt, Roux didn't make you feel inferior if you messed up.

Adrien stood off to the side and watched as Roux instructed one of the newer students to the class, the kid fumbling and dropping his foil when Roux parried him. He almost fell flat on his butt even from lack of proper footing and balance.

Instead of chastising him though, Roux showed him once again the proper footing. He also offered him an Épée to use instead of his Foil. With a few more words, he ushered the kid on and moved on to the next student.

Soon, it was his turn. Adrien knew he was skilled in Fencing or any form of sword fighting, courtesy of the various Akuma's he's had to fight, but even he started to struggle against Roux.

Roux's movements were quick, parrying him with ease and sidestepping him like he knew his plans ten steps before he even knew them. He thought D'Argencourt was a skilled fencer...

"Good job, very good!" Roux complimented him once he was panting for breath, feeling the pleasant burn of the work in his muscles. "I understand you've been practicing for five years now, your performance definitely shows it, Mr. Agreste." Roux said as he removed his mask, grinning at him as he removed his own mask.

"Thank you, sir. D'Argencourt taught me well before he left." Adrien said while wiping the sweat away from his eyes. He definitely needed this practice.

"A good instructor he was. Shame he turned his back to the art he once loved." Roux mused wistfully before gesturing to Adrien that he may go continue practice with his fellow students.

The other students that were done testing out against Roux were hardly practicing, however. Everyone was more interested in seeing how their famed instructor would match against his next pupil.

Adrien had just parried his opponent when they both noticed the hush come over the rest who were finished with Roux.

Looking around, Adrien noticed Roux was standing off with one of the students he hadn't seen in practice before. Like Roux, this student was wielding a saber. Maybe only one or two other students used the saber, as D'Argencourt didn't approve of them changing from what weapon he chose for them. He himself was just fine with his Foil.

Roux shouted for them to begin, and they began with a flurry of movement. Every time Roux would move, the student would match him with ease. Every time the student would move, Roux would match them as well. It was like both of them knew what their opponent was planning and knew how to counteract it.

They rounded each other like predators in hunt, just waiting for the chance to strike.

Suddenly, the student lunged, aiming a jab at Roux's shoulder as he stepped to their left. Their own footing slid as they adjusted, before with a flurry of movement the two came to a stop.

The tip of each of their sabers was tapped against the others side. A student got a hit on their teacher?!

The entire courtyard was quiet, waiting for Roux or the student to do anything. At last, they stepped away from each other and bowed, finishing their match.

"Well done, I wouldn't expect any less from you, Tatiana!" Roux said once his mask was off. Wait, Tatiana?

The girl herself took off her mask, and the rest of the students erupted into congratulations for the new student at her match.

As Roux moved on to the next and practice continued, Adrien found himself drawing closer to Tatiana as she practiced with one of the younger students. When she was done, she looked over at him.

"Oh, hey Adrien. I didn't know you were in fencing." Tatiana said as she took her mask off once again, saber at ease at her side. Her very atmosphere radiated with confidence like it had when she matched Roux. All he could think was how she did that.

How could a seemingly normal girl like her do something like that against a renowned swordsman like Bastien Roux?

"Yeah, I didn't know you'd be joining. I didn't take you as a sword fighting type." Adrien conversed before he would ask her about how she did that.

"It runs in the family." Tatiana said with a confident smile now, the warmth that she's had usually now replaced with pride.

"How'd you do that?" Adrien asked, nodding towards their white haired instructor who was watching two other students face off together.

A giggle that reminded him of the sound of bells brought his view back to Tatiana as she brushed her onyx hair out of her eyes.

"You asked me earlier today who my grandfather was, right?" Tatiana asked instead of answering his question, smiling kindly once more.

What did that have to do with her swordsmanship?

Shaking his head, he decided to play along. If she wanted to answer the question, she'd answer it. He could only assume she wanted to keep it a secret a little longer.

"Yeah, I did. Miss. Bustier interrupted our conversation." Adrien reminded, as they had almost been late to class. Tatiana laughed again before pulling her mask back on.

"Verse me, and I'll answer your question, Agreste." Tatiana said, holding her saber towards him invitingly.

When he versed Roux, he hadn't managed to get a hit in. But he succeeded in ensuring that Roux didn't get one in on him either. He had to assume that he could at least stand a chance against Tatiana.

Without another word, he pulled his own mask back on, stepping back and saluting her like they had been taught. Once she had returned the salute, they began.

This time, he knew what to expect. Moving quickly, Adrien was able to dodge and parry her attacks with little struggle. The part that he started to struggle was when he began to try to attack her in turn. Like Roux was doing to him, she seemed to know what he was planning ten steps ahead. Before the tip of his foil could even near her, she would already parry him or step out of the way.

"Want to up the ante, Agreste?" Tatiana asked as she parried him again.

She's definitely been talking with Alya too much. She was the only one who referred to him by his last name now a days, and now Tatiana was doing it too.

"How so?" Adrien asked, side stepping her and aiming for her shoulder only for her to pivot and block with her blade.

"A true swordsman knows all forms." Tatiana said before laughing as she lunged backwards, holding her saber out. "My _grand-père_ taught me to sword fight, show me what you've learned." Tatiana said before, with surprising speed, dashing at him.

His eyes widened before blocking her blade quickly, catching it and sliding to the side while ensuring she would gain no ground on him. This was the kind of thing he learned as Chat Noir, they wouldn't teach more risque techniques in class.

When Tatiana retracted her blade, he spun around her, getting his foot between her legs and throwing her footing off.

With a precise jab, he aimed for her back, only for Tatiana to drop to the floor and roll out of the way. She came to a stop in a low stance, holding her saber from her shoulder down and using the fuller of the blade as a guard against him.

That was definitely something the school would never teach them. Come to think of it, he needs to remember that for if he ever gets in a fight with an Akuma villain that's using a sword again.

With a grin at the challenge, he went to lunge again, but a sword suddenly struck the ground between them with a resounding thud as it stuck into the mat. Both of them looked up to see Roux stood not more than five feet away, arms folded over his chest. "I don't believe that any of that would be allowed in fencing. If you two feel like dueling like that, do it out of my class please." Roux chided them as he walked over and retrieved his saber. "Also, never do what I just did. Regardless of if you think everyone is clear." Roux said to the entire class this time.

"Sorry, Mr. Roux." Adrien apologized as he put his foil down to his side, bowing to Tatiana to end the match. She stood up straight once more and returned his bow.

After another half hour, practice came to an end. Adrien was about to head to the locker room to change, but noticed Tatiana hanging back like she was waiting for someone.

"You waiting for someone, Tatiana?" Adrien asked, crouching down to sit beside Tatiana as she polished the blade of her saber absentmindedly.

"I never answered your question." Tatiana said, smiling up at him as she continued polishing the blade. In all the excitement, he had completely forgotten that she was supposed to answer him on two questions.

She had answered the one while they were dueling, having said she learned to sword fight from her grandfather. But she didn't answer who he was.

"To be completely honest with you, I completely forgot." Adrien said with a quiet chuckle, rubbing the sore muscles in his arm. "Who's your grandfather then, Tatiana?" Adrien asked, watching as she put away the rag she was using to polish her blade.

"Please, call me Tiana. I feel so formal with everyone calling me by my full name all the time now." Tatiana, or Tiana, muttered with a shake of her head, brushing her black bangs away from her eyes afterwards.

"Then please call me Adrien instead of Agreste." Adrien countered her request, laughing when she too laughed at the request. "I know it was Alya that told you to call me that. She's been doing it for three years." Adrien revealed as he leaned back a bit, trying to stretch the muscles in his back.

"No promises." Tiana teased him, and at the cheeky little smile she sent his way he felt his stomach turn. It wasn't like it turned in a bad way either. The smile looked a little...familiar. But, it also made him feel happier. Happier to know that she felt comfortable enough to tease him after only having just met him yesterday.

"Then no promises on my front either, Tatiana." Adrien returned, tilting his head as he sent her a cheeky smile in turn that only served to dissolve them both into a fit of laughter.

This felt nice. To be able to just sit and talk with someone that wasn't going to treat him different because of who his father was or because of the fact that he was a famous model. He was able to do this with Nino, but it was different to be this way with a girl. Nino and he were guys, it wasn't like he's being sexist but things are different when its between guy and a girl.

Yeah, he's good friends with Marinette and Alya. But it's almost like there's this tension around them recently, like something needs to be said that no one will say. And he's not even sure of what that thing is that needs to be said.

"Tiana, you ready to go?" Their fit of laughter came to an end at last when someone interrupted them. Looking up, Mr. Roux was stood in front of them in his normal clothing.

Seeing him dressed in a white suit was a little weird after seeing him fencing for two hours. Also because of the fact that he had white hair, so it was like everything on him was white but his tanned skin and vest that peaked out from his suit jacket.

"Yeah, I'm coming grandfather." Adrien's eyes widened at her words. Did she just call him...

Tiana jumped up and grabbed her sports bag that had been at her side, Mr. Roux taking it from her and slinging it over his shoulder with the one he already had.

"You asked how I'm so skilled and who he was, this is my grandfather, Bastien Roux." Tiana said with a grin, a glint of pride in her sky blue eyes at the mention of being the grandchild of one of the most famous men in Paris.

"Oh so you have made friends then, _chérie_. Good, I'm happy. Now I get to watch you cavort about with your little friends. Hopefully no boyfriends." Adrien shrank as Bastien's eyes took a sharp glint, knowing that there was nothing between him and Tiana but feeling intimidated none the less by the mans golden brown eyes.

" _Grand-père!_ Can we not?!" Tiana swatted her grandfather on the arm and he even felt fear for her. But Mr. Roux only laughed and turned on his heel to start walking towards the entrance.

"I will see you next practice, Mr. Agreste. Try not to hurt my granddaughter should you two duel like you did earlier again. I may be your instructor, but I'm her grandfather first." Mr. Roux said as he walked away from them.

" _Nonno, vai ad aspettare fuori!_ " Tiana barked at her grandfather in Italian before with a slam of the doors, he was gone. "I apologize for my grandfather." Tiana said as he stood up, about to go change so he too could go home.

"It's fine. He's your grandfather, he cares about you. Some people could only dream for that kind of relationship with family." Adrien said, trying to mask his sadness over wishing he could have that kind of relationship with his father but knowing it probably shone through.

When Tiana frowned slightly at his words, he was sure his smile probably hadn't been that convincing.

"I should go get changed. I need to be getting home soon, too." Adrien pointed out, as the sky above them was starting to show that night was not far off from Paris.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow...Agreste." Tiana laughed at the last part before dashing off after Mr. Roux, leaving him to laugh alone before heading off to change.

Adrien was alone when he reached the locker room, everyone else having already gone home while he was talking with Tiana. Stripping off his uniform, he had begun changing when Plagg floated around him.

"Sooo..." Plagg drawled, grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. Maybe that character was modeled after him...

"So what?" Adrien asked as he pulled his vest off and began digging through his bag for a clean t-shirt.

"You seem to get along with that girl _real_ well." Plagg purred cheekily, Adrien groaning as he knew exactly where this was going. Plagg has done this to him plenty of times over the years, particularly with Marinette or Ladybug.

"There's nothing between us, Plagg." Adrien repeated the same phrase he's said to Plagg more times than he can count. As he was starting to pull a pair of jeans on Plagg's laughing drew his attention once again.

"You should have seen your face when that guy Roux looked at you! You looked like a deer caught in the headlights!" Plagg cried, laid on his back on his bag as he laughed at him.

"He was just being protective of his grandchild. I wish I had family who would do something like that for me." Adrien growled at Plagg, no longer in the mood as the topic of family was so touchy for him.

He wished that his father actually showed his emotion, actually treated him like a son instead of like an employee for his brand. There was the few rare shows of affection, but they were so few and far between that he sometimes wondered if they were just for show.

Adrien was never so fortunate as to meet his grandparents, so he never had that experience either of having both parents to love him and grandparents. Hell, his mother just disappeared out of nowhere! He's spent so many years hoping and wishing that she'd come back, that she'd hug him and wash away the pain like she used to, but he's starting to feel like the chance of her ever coming back was nearing zero.

Tatiana was lucky. She had her parents and she had grandparents to love her, to make sure she didn't feel alone in this great big world they shared. He wished he could have just a fraction of that luck for himself, for once feel like he's just doomed to be alone.

Maybe that's why he was given the cat Miraculous. Black Cat's mean bad luck, hell his Miraculous is the Miraculous of destruction. Was he just doomed to bad luck and relationships doomed to destruction like his own with his parents?

Adrien was pulled from his sad thoughts by a paw bopping him on the nose. Blinking, he looked up at Plagg questionably. "What was that for?" Adrien asked, rubbing his nose as Plagg stared him down with a somewhat sad look.

"To distract you." Plagg replied, folding his little arms over his chest.

"Distract me from what?" Adrien asked, since he didn't see how hitting him on the nose was possibly going to distract him from anything.

"You thinking about your family." Plagg said before floating over and flopping down on his shoulder, curling up into a ball. "Your not as alone as you feel, kid." Plagg said through a yawn. He then dissolved into quiet purring, obviously having fallen asleep on his shoulder.

Adrien was speechless. Plagg has tried cheering him up before, or distracting him from his negative thoughts about his life. But he's never outright said he's here for him like he just did.

The heaviness in his heart lifted little by little as his words played over and over in his head. He might feel alone, but Plagg is right. If anything, they've got each other. He couldn't honestly see a day where Plagg isn't in his life, no matter how much the little cat infuriates him at times.

"Thanks, Plagg." Adrien muttered quietly, knowing the Kwami was asleep and couldn't hear him.

Adrien finished changing finally and started heading home, feeling much better about his life just from the few words Plagg said to him.

* * *

Tiana rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day alone, sitting at the dining table alone with her chin resting on her hand.

Tonight her parents were supposed to be home in time for all of them to have dinner together. It would be the first time they've eaten any meal all together in months.

But no. Instead, her father was stuck down at _Assembleé_ , and her mother was down at the theater working on her next event.

Apparently, a family dinner was not important enough for either one of them.

"No show again?" Verro asked, peaking out of the v of her shirt and looking around.

Tiana growled at the wolf. "You little pervert." Tiana plucked him from the front of her shirt and set him on the table. "To answer your question, no. They're both too busy working." Tiana said, before letting Verro dive back into her shirt when the large doors to the dining room swung open and their staff started coming in to set out the dinner.

"Good evening, Ms. Serafini." One of the cooks greeted as he set out a dish for herself and one other. Oh, was grandfather joining them?

"Good evening. Is my grandfather still home?" Tiana asked, as she was still trying to acclimate to the excessively large estate. She knew the basics, as she's been coming here on and off her entire life, but she never knew exactly where her grandfather had disappeared to this time.

"Yes, Miss. He'll be dining with you tonight as your parents aren't able to make it." The cook replied with a soft, but sad smile. She returned her usual warm smile, but knew it didn't reach her eyes.

She was already tired of the staff in this estate looking at her with sad eyes for the lack of proper parenting from her _actual_ parents.

Once she was alone again, Verro popped back out, opening one of the silver dishes and howling with excitement. "They're still such good cooks." Verro said before beginning to gorge himself on the spicy stuffed meatballs.

Tiana on the other hand waited for her grandfather. She had enough manners to know not to eat before everyone was present.

"You didn't have to wait for me." Tiana took her arms off the table upon Grandfather entering the room, not surprised she didn't hear him as he was always stealthily quiet.

Tiana glanced down at the opened dish to see Verro chewing carelessly on a meatball. "Well, I waited. Not everyone has manners though." Tiana said with a curt nod at the Kwami.

Grandfather laughed at the notion, taking his seat opposite her at the table. "Don't bother wasting time trying to teach him. I spent twenty years trying, it never stuck." Grandfather said as he placed his napkin on his lap, Tiana following his example.

"Hey, I have manners. Just not with my food. This is mine." Verro growled before grabbing another meatball and shoving it in his mouth.

"If you had manners, you wouldn't have just popped out of your hiding space in my cleavage, you perv." Tiana remarked, looking up at the sound of her grandfather growling at the Kwami's actions.

"Hey, I wasn't hiding there. I was in your shirt." Verro corrected her once he swallowed his food.

Tiana only shook her head at her Kwami before starting in on dinner. She had to agree with Verro, the cooks were phenomenal at their jobs. The food they made honestly could put most of those TV celebrity chefs to shame. It was like they put every ounce of love into their work.

"So how was your day?" Grandfather asked after a few minutes of silent clinking of silverware as they ate.

"It was fine. I made more friends than the one you scared today." Tiana said, casting him a small glare at his intimidation tactics. It didn't really stick though. She found it next to impossible to actually be mad at her grandfather. Other than Verro, she felt like he was the only person she had left in the world. Her parents were never around. She saw then for maybe five minutes in the entire week.

Grandfather laughed at her mention of him scaring Adrien, however. His sharp barks of laughter were the true testament to his previous alter ego. "Well what can I say, us wolves protect our own." Grandfather said before picking up his glass of wine and taking a long drawl.

Oh lord, she knew where this was about to go already.

"Speaking of wolves..."

"No, I haven't transformed."

Grandfather examined her carefully, reading her for the possibilities of her lying. She knew how to mask herself though, after all this time of having Verro at her side.

"Don't be afraid to transform again. I know, it's been some time..." Verro interrupted her grandfather with a loud belch, patting his now distended belly as he laid on the table.

"I'm not scared to transform, Grandfather. You know me, nothing scares me." Tiana reminded, flashing a cheeky smile at her grandfather as, being that he was the one who passed Verro on to her, he knew how willing she was to transform.

"Then what's stopping you?" Grandfather asked, leaning back in his chair as he looked at her. She tilted her head slightly, just then realizing he wasn't wearing his contacts. His golden eyes were trained on her, awaiting her response.

"We just moved her, Grandfather. I don't want to rush anything." Tiana said, looking away so that he couldn't use his gaze to his advantage. The possibility of lying to him was near impossible when she knew those eyes were trained on her.

They were silent for another few minutes, continuing on with their meal before Verro suddenly broke the silence. "Well this is awkward..." Verro drawled, picking at his teeth with a toothpick that the cook had supplied with their meals.

"Paris may need you, Tiana. She may soon need you to resume the role of _Général Wolf_. I know it was harder trying to fill that role back in Rome, but here you would have more partners to stand at your side, _mon_ _ange_." Tiana cringed at not only the nickname but her and his own previous Hero name. She knew he would see her cringe as well. He never missed a thing she had done.

"Paris doesn't need me, Grandfather." Tiana answered honestly, still unwilling to relinquish to him the news that she has been transforming all this time since last she was General Wolf. That instead, now she was a Neutral by the pseudonym of Rogue Wolf. "Paris has her heroes of this generation. Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle whatever that villain Hawk Moth throws at them." Tiana said while dabbing her mouth with her napkin, unable to finish the rest of the wonderful food the staff provided.

What once tasted like ambrosia now melted to ash in her mouth at the discussion of her responsibilities as a Miraculous Wielder.

"Paris will always have need of you, Tiana. All you need is to believe in yourself. You and Verro together are the perfect combination." Grandfather reminded her, and she couldn't exactly argue that as Verro was her best friend, regardless of how much they tormented one another.

"Can we talk about this another time, Grandfather. I've had a good day, I want to just enjoy the day and this lovely food and have a wonderful night together. Before _maman_ comes home." Tiana said, forcing a smile when her grandfather frowned at her request.

"Alright, as you wish, _Princesse_. Shall we adjourn to the auditorium?" Grandfather asked, and at the request both of them laughed because they both knew how absurd that was to say. Having an auditorium on their property.

"You made this place too big, _grand-père._ But yes, we shall." Tiana agreed, rising from the seat as he did to go end the night on a good note.

Honestly, it was far better than discussing her and Verro's pained past as General Wolf.

* * *

 **Vocabulary**

 _Chérie_ = Sweetheart

 _Grand-père_ = Grandfather

 _Nonno, Vai ad aspettare fuori!_ = Grandfather, go wait outside!

 _Mon ange_ = My angel

 _Princesse_ = Princess

* * *

 **First thing I want to point out, the whole fencing thing I was reading up on and reading while writing this. I never really knew much about it beforehand, I'm more of a modern sword fighting person, so I hope I didn't botch any of that whole scene. Please let me know if there was an error in any of the fencing terminology or fighting, I mean that's if it bothers you of course.**

 **Anyways, we're starting to see a bit more interaction between Adrien and Tatiana now! As well as a look into both of their familial issues. Honestly, I'm always going to feel bad for Adrien with how poor his relationship with his father is. We also get a little glimpse into not only Tatiana's family life, but her past as the holder of the Wolf Miraculous.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! So far, I've heard nothing on here about if anyone prefers the chapters longer or shorter, so I'm just sticking with the ten pages I usually write. Feel free to review and tell me how your feeling about the story so far, or how you feel about the chapters length. See you next time!**


	5. New Revelations

**Thank you guys so much for all the reads so far on this story! It makes me so happy to know that your all still reading on when this story is only five chapters in! Before we get into the chapter, I'd like to do the same thing I did on the QuoteV version of this story. I've been seeing a lot of spoilers for the new season going around. Myself, I've only seen one episode of season 2 so far as I've been too busy. But please, keep spoilers to a minimum. I wish I could throw the little fanart no spoiler pic I found on here... Anyways, go on ahead and start reading, you amazing person you!**

* * *

Marinette laughed loudly at her best friend and new friend, leaning back in her desk chair as she laughed at them.

Currently, they were discussing Alyas Valentine from Nino from the other day. They'd all been so busy recently, they hadn't had the chance to talk about how Alyas Valentine's day had gone.

"He really dropped it in the whipped cream?" Tiana asked through her own laughter, neither one of them able to help themselves as it was very rare to see Nino nervous. Then one of the few times he is nervous, he drops the charm he got for Alya for Valentine's day in their dessert while they were out for lunch together.

That explained why when she asked Nino about if he gave Alya the gift, he blushed. There was no way Nino would have willingly told her what happened.

"We spent about twenty minutes digging through it before we finally found it. He spent another ten just apologizing to me before I finally got him to stop." Alya said, only giggling herself. Marinette assumed she probably was laughing a lot when it had actually happened.

"Ooh, you had to kiss him just to get him to stop, didn't you?" Marinette asked, smiling innocently at Alya when she sent a weak glare her way.

"That's not what I had to do to stop him." Alya countered, thumbing the charm that hung from her phone case. It was a Ladybug charm, so it matched the theme of her case perfectly.

"Translation, she did kiss him. But that wasn't what got him to stop apologizing." Tiana put in, flashing a cheeky smile at Alya as Alya grabbed a pillow from her bed to throw at their new friend.

Tiana dodged it easily, grabbing it when it dropped to the floor and throwing it right back.

Marinette only laughed at the whole display. In the days since they met Tatiana, or Tiana, they've gotten to know her really well. She become a quick and welcome addition to their circle. She thought their friendship circle was great before, but now it just felt more complete with Tiana among them.

"Can we stop discussing my Valentine's day experience and get on to discussing how we're helping Princess Marinette woo Prince Adrien?" Alya asked with a huff, a blush taking over Marinette's features at the topic change.

They've been calling her and Adrien this for two days now. She didn't mind, as long as Adrien didn't hear it, but it didn't stop the blushing or way her heart would speed up at the idea of actually being Adriens Princess.

"Didn't you tell me earlier today that you have fencing practice with him, Tiana?" Alya asked, and immediately Marinette perked up. She's known that Adrien took fencing, but she was never able to watch his practices or even talk to him about it. It was one of those topics that his willingness to talk about it fluctuated by the days.

"You're in fencing? Could we come watch one of your practices?" Marinette asked, trying to keep her excitement down in hopes that Tiana would agree.

"Our instructor doesn't believe in an audience during practice." Tiana replied, giving her an apologetic look as Marinette frowned slightly. It was worth a shot. She knew when D'Argencourt was the instructor, he wouldn't allow it either.

"So who's this new instructor? Is he going to be a teacher as well?" Alya asked, dawning a confused look when Tiana laughed openly at the question.

"He wouldn't dare become a teacher for our school, trust me." Tiana replied, only confusing both of them more as it sounded like she knew the instructor. Tiana finally noticed the confusion as Marinette exchanged a confused glance with Alya. "Oh, yeah the instructor is my grandfather, Bastien Roux." Tiana revealed, and Marinette flinched and leaped back when suddenly Alya squealed and nearly jumped on Tiana.

"Your grandfather is THE famed man of Paris, Bastien Roux?!" Marinette jumped up to help Tiana when Alya began shaking her with excitement, both of them having to pry Alyas hands off of Tiana.

"He'd hardly call himself famed, but yes." Tiana replied once Alya was pulled off of her, smoothing out her sleeves that she had scrunched up.

"Is everyone in your entire family famous or something?" Alya asked, grabbing her phone from where she dropped it on the bed and typing away quickly.

"Your not putting this on your blog, are you?" Marinette asked, glancing at Tiana to see she eyed the phone with what she could assume was the same question.

"Noooo..." Alya started to inch away from them, before Marinette jumped up to try to grab the phone from Alya. It wasn't polite to just divulge people's family ties or life with their family without even asking their permission.

"Weren't we here to discuss Marinette and Adrien, not my grandfather?" Tiana asked as Marinette tried to wrestle the phone from Alyas iron grip.

Sighing, Alya let Marinette take her phone and slouched down on the bed slightly. "Yeah, your right. Sorry, Tiana. I've just heard a lot about your grandfather over the past few years. Nino idolizes his work as a composer." Alya revealed, surprising Marinette as she's never once heard Nino even mention the name before. Maybe it was something they talked about when they were alone together.

"Why? I thought Nino was a DJ, not a composer." Tiana said as Marinette sat back down in her computer chair, putting Alyas phone on her desk.

"Yeah but it's all part of the same subject. The only real difference between the two is that Nino uses technology to make his music, while your grandfather uses the instruments and his orchestra." Alya explained to their new friend.

"That's a good point, I hadn't thought of that." Tiana said with a nod at the explanation. "Grandfather believes that the instruments are all that is needed to make his art, not technology. Should I worry if Nino ever sees me with my grandfather?" Tiana asked, looking between them both for the answer as she hasn't had much interaction with Nino yet.

"Yeah, you should probably run at that point." Alya warned through a laugh, before suddenly it became infectious and they were all laughing once again.

After a few minutes of laughing so hard that her sides began to hurt, they finally started to calm down. Tiana wiped a few stray tears of laughter from her face before turning to her with a grin. "So my grandfather scared your Prince during practice, by the way." Tiana revealed, smiling cheekily at her as Marinette's interest peaked at the news.

Bastien Roux scared Adrien? She'd always thought nothing could scare him. Over the three years of knowing him, he never really showed that he was scared by anything, even when there was an Akuma involved.

"What happened?" Marinette asked, genuinely concerned for Adrien if someone had managed to scare him.

"Have you ever seen a picture of my grandfather?" Tiana asked instead of answering her outright. Alya nodded, seeming to understand where Tiana was going, but Marinette didn't. She's seen brief glimpses of the man before, mainly because he's the father of Delphine and on the rare occasion had conducted the orchestra for some of her shows, but she's never seen him up close or actually looking straight on at the camera.

How could a man so cultured and loved among the city possibly look scary?

"When my grandfather looks you dead in the eye, you're either going to see the kindness and warmth that's usually around him. Or," Tiana tutted her tongue after that word, tilting her head to the side with a small smile. "You'll see the man who's capable of scaring even the strongest man into submission in order to protect those he cares about. My grandfather has that will to try to protect me from everything if he can." Tiana finished her explanation, and Marinette felt a cold chill run down her spine at her words.

Tiana spoke about her grandfather with nothing but love and pride in her voice, but if he can be that intimidating as she said in order to protect the ones he loved, even she felt a little afraid to ever cross his path the wrong way.

"Why was he trying to intimidate Adrien?" Alya asked, lifting the tension that set after Tiana's explanation of how her grandfather is.

"Because Adrien and I were dueling each other during practice and didn't exactly follow the rules of fencing. Also because he's a boy, and like what you'd expect from fathers, he's protect of his little girl." Tiana said with a shrug, seemingly not too bothered by how Bastien Roux had intimidated one of her friends. "I mean, Adrien understood he was just being protective. No harm done." Tiana said, before turning her gaze on her once more. "So let's continue the topic of your prince then, what's the new plan?" Tiana asked, Marinette noticing now that both her friends were grinning excitedly at what the next plan to tell Adrien how she felt would be.

"I...I don't know right now. I really hoped that it would work this year and he'd actually see that Valentine." Marinette muttered, still a little sad about the ruined card. She knew it wasn't his fault, and that she'd have another chance, but it didn't stop the disappointment.

With her luck, it was probably Chloe who ruined the card. She'd go to any lengths to try to get Adrien for herself, probably even as far as to pour something in his locker to ruin her Valentine for him. But she tried to remind herself that it was just she and Nino when she dropped it off, she couldn't just accuse someone of something with no proof.

"This year? How long have you been trying to tell him you have a crush on him?" Tiana asked, tilting her head to the side curiously that served to make her look like a cute little puppy.

Marinette blushed at the question though, not wanting to delve into her three year mission that hasn't yet come to fruition.

"Alright, never mind the amount of time. So Valentine's day has passed, that's no longer an option. But, there's always the obvious choices." Tiana said, turning to Alya this time and exchanging a look with her.

Oh no, where is this going?

"We all know how much Adrien loves your parents cooking, so we figured why not pick a day where all of us come back here for lunch. Tiana, Nino and I would of course come up with an excuse last second to bail, leaving you and Adrien alone to talk." Alya explained, giving her an assuring smile that she could pull it off. But it didn't stop the anxiety that began bubbling in her at the mere idea.

Yeah, they've been alone together before. He'd even been over and up in her room, but that was for school related situations. Like when they were practicing together for the gaming competition.

But being alone together for no real reason other than their friends had other things to do, she felt like that could just go horribly wrong.

What if her parents started trying to embarrass her, like last time? What if they were eating something that he's allergic to, and he goes into anaphylactic shock? What if he starts chocking on lunch? She can't perform CPR when she's freaking out about the possibility of him dying! Oh even worse, what if Chloe found out and showed up at the bakery while they were together, doing everything in her bratty power to show Adrien that she's unworthy of him?!

"Marinette your freaking out again." Marinette looked up to see Alya and Tiana now standing in front of her, Alyas hands on her shoulders to try to calm her down. She hadn't noticed that her breathing was coming out rushed and uneven. "Breathe." Alya reminded her, so she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

Slowly, her breathing regulated once more and she let the scary thoughts float away from her. She felt gentle rubbing on the back of her shoulder, smiling gently as Tikki would do anything to try to help her, even risk exposing herself.

"Okay so, let's just worry about this at a later time." Tiana said, smiling softly at her as she realized that was the first time Tiana had actually witnessed her having an anxiety attack over her fears.

"I'm fine, really. Thank you both for worrying about me, but I'm okay." Marinette assured, patting both of her friends on the shoulder in silent thanks for their help in calming her down and shooing away the negativity.

Maybe she needed to see a therapist. Or talk to someone, anyone, about all the pent up anxiety she had these days. It wasn't like this years ago, maybe if she just worked it out in a healthy way, it would be gone at last. She didn't want to be one of those girls who had to rely on a pill to keep the darkness at bay.

Why did love have to have such an adverse effect on her like this?

"You should try meditation." Tiana offered suddenly, both Marinette and Alya looking at her curiously for the suggestion. "It actually helps. It's helped some people deal with their anxiety better than anxiety medication. You never know, it might help you." Tiana said with a shrug, taking a seat on her bed afterwards.

Marinette stared at her for a moment, thinking over the idea. Tikki has taught her breathing exercises before, and they actually do help. Maybe there was something to what Tiana was offering. Maybe meditation would help. Like she said at least, she'll never know unless she tries.

She knows just to person to talk to about trying it too. Tikki will be ecstatic to visit Master Fu again too, it's been too long.

"Alright, so for now we'll stick with the lunch date idea. Maybe you could even get creative and make some desserts and frost them with how you feel." Alya offered, and the idea genuinely made her smile as Alya was offering an idea she had already considered. She really was her best friend.

"I'd say wait a little while before putting that plan into play. Give yourself some time to take care of yourself. I know you really want him to know so you two could possibly, hopefully, get together at last. But remember, you are more important than any boy. Don't let your desire to be with him be a detriment to your own health." Tiana spoke honestly, so much so that Marinette felt heat rise once more to her face. Tiana genuinely felt that she needed to care more about herself than for Adrien.

Marinette's heart warmed at the honest care that Tiana showed in her words to her. She was still new to their city, to their friendship circle, but yet she was so willing to help her. So insistent that she should prioritize herself over Adrien.

"Aww! You're such a sweet heart, Tiana!" Alya cooed loudly, throwing her arms around Tiana in a squeezing hug that Marinette could tell she wanted to get away from. Giggling at the scene, she jumped up and joined in, throwing her own arms around her two friends.

"Okay, okay. We're all sunshine and rainbows now. Can you not suffocate me though?" Tiana asked through Alya and Marinette's cooing about her kindness and sincerity. When they did at last let go of her, they all began laughing once more.

Marinette never felt more glad right then for Tiana's arrival in their class those days ago. The mere thought that she and Alya initially worried that she would be anything like Lila only made her laugh even more. She was the furthest thing from Lila.

* * *

Adrien stretched, his spine and joints in his legs popping quietly as he stretched out.

Plagg was curled up on the pillow next to the one he had his head laid on, reading his phone screen right along with him.

Tonight wasn't his night to patrol, so he was doing some research instead of going out anyways just to be close to his lady. He didn't really have the energy in him anyways, and neither did Plagg from the looks of it either.

"Scroll on." Plagg spoke up just as he finished the paragraph. With a glide of his finger on the screen, they moved on to the next paragraph.

Currently, they were reading up on this Rogue Wolf that had entered their city. In hopes of preparing ahead of time before they encountered again. She was unpredictable, manipulative, and obviously very smart as she had managed to evade him twice already.

So far, they hadn't found much on her. It looked like she had only just started her job a year or two ago, as that was when the reports started coming in about her thievery and vandalism.

It didn't help that the reports ranged from Paris clear down to southern Italy. Huh...

Tiana was from Italy. Maybe she's heard about the neutral thief. She was smart, so perhaps the best source of Intel on their enemy was from a friend.

"Ugh, it's that guy again." Plagg groaned, rolling over onto his back as Adrien had scrolled down to another article. Adrien quirked an eyebrow at Plagg's reaction, before realizing that the security photo showed not just Rogue Wolf, but from the looks of it another animal dressed person.

"You know who that is, Plagg?" Adrien asked, turning his head to look at the Kwami as he rolled back over onto his stomach.

"Not the person himself, but I know the Kwami that transformed him into that. That guy has the Lion Miraculous. He and I don't get along." Plagg snarled the final part, the first time Adrien actually heard Plagg talk about another Kwami with such animosity.

"Why don't you get along?" Adrien asked as he dragged his eyes back to his phone screen, eyeing the man dressed in gold, brown and black colors.

"We're both cats, technically. Just because he's the Kwami of the Miraculous of Strength, he thinks he's so much better than me. As if." Plagg blew raspberries at the idea as Adrien found video footage to match the photo.

The man resembling a lion had snatched the bag that Rogue Wolf had taken with ease, and for a second Adrien wondered if it was because of who he was, or if Rogue was playing with him like she has been doing to him.

The two circled each other as the Lion hero tucked the bag against his waist. The light caught on his face, and under the black mask it appeared that the Lion hero was enjoying the encounter. To prove him right, the man laughed seconds later.

"So prideful." Plagg hissed beside him.

When the Lion hero went to lunge for Rogue, however, she dropped a metal ball between them. Suddenly, the scene flashed white, the camera no longer able to register anything more as Adrien realized she had thrown a flash bomb on the ground.

"Ooh, shiny!" Plagg suddenly threw himself at his screen, Adrien only able to shake his head as it wasn't even shiny. It was just a flash of light. The video ended, and the light was gone. "Aw, where'd it go?!" Plagg wailed, tapping his paws on the screen before Adrien took his phone out of his reach.

"She's more crafty than we realized, isn't she Plagg?" Adrien asked once Plagg gave up trying to get his phone back to try to replay the flashing scene.

"Well I mean, if she's actually the one holding the Wolf Miraculous, it's to be expected." Plagg said with a shrug. Wait, did Plagg know the Wolf Kwami too?

"Plagg, do you know the Wolf Kwami?" Adrien asked, sitting up as Plagg floated over to his computer desk to grab some more of the Camembert he had set out for him earlier.

"Of course, all Kwami's know each other." Plagg replied in a way that made Adrien feel like he thought his question was stupid. "Mmm, I love warm Camembert." Plagg purred, snatching another piece and shoving it in his tiny mouth.

Adrien laid back down as Plagg ate, looking at his phone once more. Scrolling up, he found the title of the article where he had found that video.

"Mighty Lion thwarts Rogue Wolf once again! Jewels of Turin safe thanks to Italy's last superhero!" Last superhero?

His curiosity peaked by that statement, Adrien searched up this hero, Mighty Lion.

A lot of what popped up were peoples encounters with The Mighty Lion. Apparently, like himself and Ladybug, he had a lot of interaction with the public. Plenty of people seemed to have gotten pictures with them, the Lion hero flexing his arms in a majority of the pictures.

Well, Plagg was right about the pride, from the looks of it.

As he went further down the rabbit hole of searching about Mighty Lion, seeing very few more articles that put him and Rogue Wolf in the same place, suddenly he spotted a picture that stopped him in his tracks.

Standing beside a statue resembling himself and one other was Mighty Lion, but that wasn't what interested him. The statue wasn't of just him.

Beside him in the statue was a women that too was dressed as a wolf. Was Rogue Wolf a former hero?

That question only intensified as the picture was marked under the name General Wolf and Mighty Lion, heroes to all.

Immediately he closed out of that article and began a new search, adding this General Wolf into the search of Mighty Lion.

One of the first things to pop up was a blog post commemorating the two, but more directed at General Wolf. As he read speedily through it, his eyebrows furrowed. This General Wolf vanished nearly two years ago?

As he continued reading on, his gears started turning as he started putting two and two together. Finally, he managed to come across a photo of General Wolf and Mighty Lion side by side.

The costume was nearly identical, except for the fact that General Wolf wasn't wearing goggles on her face. Nor was her hair purely white. Her bangs, which were spiked up out of her golden eyes, were red.

There were so many similarities between the two that Adrien came to two conclusions. Either A: Rogue Wolf is this former General Wolf, but abandoned the role for another, or B: Rogue Wolf managed to get the Wolf Miraculous from General Wolf and that was why the General hadn't been seen since.

Regardless, Adrien had a lot more information now than he had before. He also had a lead on more, if Tiana actually knew of who Rogue Wolf or General Wolf were. He was starting to feel better about his chances against the neutral next time round.

"Are you done yet? I wanna watch those evil kitty videos on Youtube." Plagg invaded his space by zipping in front of his face, blocking his view of his phone.

Rolling his eyes, Adrien was about to hand his phone over to the cat so there wouldn't be a fight, when Plagg suddenly twitched his ears and turned around to face the windows.

"Ooh, look! There goes your bugaboo." Adrien leaped up instantly, ignoring the fact that Plagg was once again teasing him about his love for Ladybug.

Dashing over towards the windows, he looked out to see Plagg was in fact right. Ladybug was swinging off down the street.

Adrien didn't feel so tired anymore now.

Turning to Plagg, he noticed Plagg's teasing smile drop. "Adrien, don't-"

"Plagg, claws out!"

Plagg wailed loudly as he was pulled towards his ring.

It didn't take Chat long to catch up to Ladybug, skidding to a stop beside her on the street. "Hello, Bugaboo. Beautiful night, isn't it?" Chat asked, smiling at her in his most charming way.

"Chat tonight was supposed to be your night off." Ladybug reminded him instead of responding to his question. Or even smiling at him at that.

Chat felt his ears flatten against his hair. Usually she at least smiled at him. What was wrong with her tonight. "Is everything alright, my lady?" Chat asked, following after when Ladybug continued walking away from him.

"Everything is fine, Chat Noir. Tonight is supposed to be your night off, go home and get some rest." Ladybug responded to him without even looking at him.

"I'm rested, Ladybug. But you don't seem fine. Why don't you go home and rest, you need it more than I do. I could take over the patrol." Chat offered in hopes that she'd at least smile at him, maybe treat him like a person instead of a clingy alley cat.

Ladybug halted in her steps, and Chat's ears twitched back to their normal position as he heard her sigh. "I'm sorry, Chat. I shouldn't have talked to you like that." Ladybug apologized, turning to face him finally with an apologetic look in her bluebell eyes.

His heart thumped harder, returning her smile gently. "It's fine. Honest." Chat said, holding his hands up to show that he was fine. "What's wrong though, has it been a long day?" Chat asked, gesturing towards a nearby bus stop bench for them to sit while they talked.

Chat waited for Ladybug to take a seat first before sitting beside her. "It's been a long week is a better fit there, Chaton." Ladybug said with another sigh.

Chat frowned, wanting to wipe away all of her stress or pain. Take it onto himself if it meant she would be happy and smiling again.

He knew he was pushing his luck with her, but he reached over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him in a hug. His heart was pounding so loudly in his ears, he felt like she too would be able to hear it. Certainly she could feel how warm he was from being so close to her.

"Chat-"

"I'm sorry, Ladybug. You don't deserve that amount of stress. But you know, I'm always here to lend an ear and shoulder, if you'd let me." Chat muttered the last bit, knowing it was unlikely that she'd ever let him get this close to her again. All he wanted was to give her everything, be her everything like she was to him.

"Thank you..." Chat flinched before even realizing what Ladybug had even said, expecting her to tell him to let her go. His jaw dropped when he felt her slip an arm around his waist and rest her head on his shoulder.

Chat had never been tazed or electrocuted before, but he felt that right then that was the closest he had come to it. Every inch of his skin prickled, his heart rate jumping to dangerous levels as his breath hitched in his throat. Even his mind blanked, only able to think about her and the way she made him feel.

Ladybug had been close to him before, albeit when they were fighting Akumas, or that time when he hugged her because he thought he lost her to Animan, but this was different.

She always had that rule about personal space, but for once his bad luck didn't interfere and he was allowed the comforting gift of her at his side and hugging him back.

Chat had to clear his throat before he could speak again, feeling like his mouth was stuffed with cotton. "Y-you don't need to thank me." Chat murmured to her, smiling at her when she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. "I'm always here for you, bugaboo." Chat purred, returning to his charming ways as his nerves began to settle.

"Watch the tongue, kitty." Ladybug said with a small giggle, lifting his night even higher as he was finally able to make her laugh genuinely with him. "It means a lot to me to know we can talk to each other though, Chat. Thank you, really." Ladybug said seriously, causing a soft smile to return to him once again.

"We're partners. It comes with the job." Chat reminded, grinning widely when Ladybug patted him on the head teasingly.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end though. A trio of beeps sounded from Ladybug's earnings, signaling to them both that it was time to go. "Sorry, Chat, but I got to get home before I de-transform." Ladybug reminded, detaching herself from him and standing up.

He felt so much colder with her not at his side.

"You don't have to." Chat reminded her back quietly, unable to help himself even though he knew the answer he'd get back.

"You know I do Chat. Our identities are safer if even we don't know one another." Ladybug parroted the same phrase he's heard for three years to him once more.

Chat rolled his eyes involuntarily, before perking up as he felt the intoxicating touch of her fingertips under his chin, leaning towards her eager for more.

"Thank you, again, Chat. I'll see you soon." Ladybug said with a gentle smile, before throwing her yo-yo and zooming away.

Chat sat on the bench a while longer, lost in the sea of his thoughts about his lady. It almost felt like a dream, how close they were tonight. But the faint warmth that still lingered on his chin from her touch was a reminder that it wasn't.

Chat cringed as he faintly heard the sound of Plagg's boisterous laughter. It was rare that he could hear him while transformed, but now was not the time. He wanted to bask a bit longer in the glow of receiving what affection he did from Ladybug tonight.

His ring beeped though, telling him to get home as well.

Standing up, Chat was glad Plagg pointed out Ladybug's passing earlier. He felt revitalized by their talk, better than he's felt in months in fact. It was a step in the right direction for them.

Soon, maybe they'd take another step. Maybe soon he could confess that he loves her, and she'll at last give him a chance.

With a wistful smile at the idea of finally being able to call his lady his own, Chat vaulted off down the street towards home.

* * *

 **This made me so happy just to write. Just being able to FINALLY write some of the fluff for this story was so much fun. Granted, it's not much. And it's not exactly shared between both participants, that we see at least, but it's something! The soft hearted kitty cat finally got a little lovin'!**

 **But aww, look at those sweet words from Tiana to Marinette about her mental health. It's just a whole lot of sweet moments this chapter! That goes for all of you out there too, by the way! Your health is more important than boys or anything else, remember that!**

 **Also, thanks anonymous reviewer for being the first to review! I hope this chapter right here proves that the Adrienette isn't gone. It's still there, kind of, it's just a build up to what has been going on because of having to get introductions of new characters in. It is definitely not forgotten, it's unrealistic in my opinion to forget about that kind of thing.**

 **Anyways, back to the chapter. We not only see a little more Marinette, but we also see that there is actually more Miraculous Holders out there. I mean, even the writers admitted that what few we saw season one weren't anywhere near all of what's out there. We also get a little closer look into General Wolf, not just that she had a partner by the name of Mighty Lion. Oh and don't worry, we'll eventually see more of that prideful hero that Plagg doesn't care for.**

 **There's still a lot more in store, plenty of ideas rolling around to use for the story! I hope you continue to stick around, as it's bound to be an exciting journey. I want to thank all of you for reading, it makes me so happy to see how many of you are still reading! Feel free to review, give me your ideas even as I'm more than open to ideas for the story! Thanks again, and as always I will see you next time!**


	6. Matchmaking

**Welcome back, go ahead and start reading you amazing person!**

* * *

Tiana covered her mouth quickly to prevent herself from bursting out with laughter.

Nathaniel smiled softly at her, face a slight pink as he too restrained his laughter. The amazing artist that he is, he had drawn a picture of Chloe Bourgeois.

Oh and not just any picture of Chloe. Oh no, that would be no fun at all.

Nathaniel had given her some extra features. A slithery little lizards tail, scaly looking skin, forked tongue, even little fangs that poked out of her mouth and dripped with venom like her words usually did. But her favorite part of the whole picture was the fact that she was surrounded by a plethora of shed skin.

Like she would shed her evil exterior in moments where she's been caught being nasty to try to hide how tainted she really was.

A snicker escaped her, before lowering herself to her desk and hiding her mouth on her arm to try to control her laughter.

Nathaniel had to do the same, hiding his face on his bag.

This was one of the many reasons she liked Nathaniel. Sure, he was quiet and shy to many of their classmates still, especially around Marinette and Alya. But in what little time that she's known him, she's managed to get him to open up to her.

She got to see him smile more than the rest of their class did. Or in the case of their current situation, she managed to win a laugh out of him.

They managed to control themselves after a few minutes of silent laughter before returning their attention to the lesson.

Nathaniel slipped the picture under her folder, smiling gently at her. She felt her heart warm at the gesture, honored to actually be given some of his artwork.

From what she gathered, Nathaniel hasn't given his work out to many people. Ever since a dispute a few years back, he's just kept it for his eyes only.

Tiana felt honored to know he trusted her enough after less than a month to give her some of his artwork.

Class finished not long after they calmed down, and Tiana was actually excited for next class as it was time for music. This would be her first time getting to attend, as it was only once a week and she hadn't yet arrived last week for it.

"You should make more fan art of her." Tiana said as they put their stuff away and stood up.

"Maybe. She inspires the best artwork out of me." Nathaniel said with a quiet chuckle, both of them looking down towards the door to see Chloe leaving, completely unaware of their hysterics over her.

"What are you two laughing at so much?" Alya asked as she and Nathaniel leaved the room to head to the music room.

Tiana exchanged a look with Nathaniel briefly before showing Alya the paper she had tucked into her folder. Marinette glanced over her shoulder before both of them burst into laughter.

"That's amazing! I love it!" Alya said as Marinette leaned on her while laughing.

"Nathaniel your such an amazing artist." Marinette complimented, and Tiana smirked teasingly at Nathaniel when he flushed a bright pink. It didn't take much to see that he had a crush on her friend.

Of course, he denied it and claimed he got over it years ago. But she knew better than to believe that lie.

"She should get to class." Nathaniel said quietly, looking to her for help in escaping. In any other situation, Tiana would help her friend admit his feelings.

But, she was already helping Marinette with a plan to tell Adrien how _she_ felt. So it wouldn't be fair to lead Nathaniel in to such a situation when she knew Marinette's heart wasn't in it.

"What class do you two have?" Marinette asked, looking to her for the answer instead of Nathaniel. Marinette probably realized Nathaniel was still shy about her.

"We have music today. We'll see you after class, can't be late!" Tiana chimed before snatching Nathaniel by the shoulder and dragging him along with her.

Faintly she heard Marinette trying to call her back, but she really didn't want to be late for class.

"You're welcome." Tiana said once they reached the door, smirking at Nathaniel as he tried to catch his breath. Maybe she walked too quickly for him...

"Thanks..." Nathaniel said after catching his breath at last. They walked into class and took a seat together, the teacher not yet having arrived.

"Don't be too sad that she doesn't have class with us for the hour." Tiana teased once they were seated, smiling innocently when Nathaniel glared at her.

"I don't like her." Nathaniel reminded her, turning his eyes back down to his notebook to likely start drawing again.

"Natty boy, when are you going to realize I'm a human lie detector?" Tiana asked, leaning on him and laughing when he sputtered and tried to shoo her off of him.

"Stop it." Nathaniel hissed after finally pushing her away, trying to glare at her but she saw the tell tale glint in his eyes he got when he wanted to laugh.

"Oh look, it's the new class couple." Tiana sighed right along with Nathaniel, looking across the room to see that they unfortunately had Chloe in class with them. "That didn't take long, you've hardly been here a week." Chloe remarked with a snobby little giggle.

"Chloe, don't start today." Adrien warned her, pinching the bridge of his nose as he talked to her. Tiana hadn't even noticed he was in this class as well.

"Sorry to disappoint." Tiana said as she leaned back in her chair. "But Nathaniel and I are just friends. You do know what friends are, right? I mean, from what I've seen, you can only keep people around you by paying them or scaring them, and that isn't real friendship." Tiana responded to her bullying with a snarky smirk that would make Verro proud if he wasn't hiding in her jacket.

Chloe's face lit up red with anger, opening her mouth to respond but being interrupted by the teacher walking into the room at last.

Tiana turned her gaze away from the spoiled brat and back to Nathaniel to see he now had his face down, scribbling furiously away at his notebook. Ooh, is it going to be a new rendition of Chloe Venom from earlier?

Tiana turned her attention back to the front of the class, rolling her eyes as she noticed Chloe has forced her way into the seat beside Adrien. Just looking at him, she could see he was highly uncomfortable.

He was fortunate though, that the teacher called him up to perform scales on the piano at the head of the class.

Tiana chuckled as he began playing, ignoring Chloe's squealing up front over how magnificent he was at something so easy as scales. She honestly shouldn't be surprised that he can play an instrument, coming from a higher class background like herself.

Watch, next thing she finds out will be that he is an actor or something. If that really becomes an actuality, she doesn't know how to react then. What kind of parent makes their child learn so many skills when realistically, they'll only ever need one to be successful in life?

"Who feels like volunteering to go next?" Tiana turned to Nathaniel with the next roll of her eyes, smiling as he too did such act when both of them watched Chloe bound over to be the next center of attention.

Both of them cringed as her fingers fumbled on the keys every other note, missing notes entirely even as she tried to make it seem like she was a Mozart on the piano.

"Okay, that's enough, Ms. Bourgeois." The teacher interrupted her halfway through, looking none too pleased at Chloe's lack of practice. "I would have hoped you would have practiced. Go take your seat, please." Chloe was shooed away with the flick of the teachers baton, both Tiana and Nathaniel chortling quietly at her embarrassment.

They had just stopped laughing when Tiana heard her name be called, flicking her gaze back to the front to see an expectant gaze on her by the teacher.

Without another word, Tiana stood from her seat and headed down to the piano.

Tiana took a breath as she sat down at the piano, waiting for the teacher to start the metronome before beginning.

One of the perks of being the grandchild of a famed conductor was that Tiana had received plenty of lessons over the years on the piano. Her grandfather insisted, in fact. She was his right hand, when allowed to be of course.

Her fingers flowed rhythmically over the keys, not needing to read the sheet placed for her as she knew most of her scales by heart now.

Tiana's eyes closed, letting sounds of the piano surround her and barrier off the rest of the world from her. Even something so simple as scales had the soothing power to make her forget everything around her and focus solely on the flow of her fingers over the keys and the piano's beautiful voice in response to her actions.

Finishing the scales, Tiana opened her eyes and looked back up at her teacher. Like herself, the teacher seemed entranced by how wonderfully she melded with the piano. "Wonderful job. Magnificent." The teacher replied before motioning with her baton to return to her seat.

Well, few words was still good. Especially when those few words were positive like that.

Tiana headed back up to her seat, faintly aware of the stares she was receiving form her classmates. What was so interesting about her performance? It was just scales. It's not like she was performing Tchaikovsky or Beethoven.

Tiana sat back down and noticed that even Nathaniel was staring at her in awe. "What?" Tiana asked, tilting her head as she looked at him. She chuckled when he immediately looked away with a shy blush, back down at his notebook.

"You never said you could play piano." Nathaniel said quietly as their teacher called someone else up to do their scales.

"Lots of people can play. It's not that interesting." Tiana said with a shrug, glancing back down the room to the front to see some of their fellow students whip their heads away from her gaze in hopes of not being caught staring.

"Is there anything you cant do?" Nathaniel asked with a small snort, Tiana chuckling at his words, as there were in fact many things. The public just didn't see them because they didn't want to see them. They wanted to see her as the perfect daughter of the Serafini family.

"Well, to start, I can't draw like you do." Tiana said, smiling cheekily at him as she tried to steal a peak of what he was working on currently, but he closed the notebook to prevent her.

Soon, music too came to an end, signaling it was time to get back to regular classes with their usual classmates. Just as she and Nathaniel walked out of the room to head to science, she was stopped by someone calling her name.

Tiana knew it was Adrien easily, because he was the only one who still called her by Tatiana. Albeit just to be a smart mouth because she was still calling him Agreste to be just as cheeky.

"I'll see you in class." Nathaniel made his escape quickly, Tiana chuckling at how shy he was.

"How can I help you, Agreste?" Tiana asked as Adrien stopped beside her, looking as though he had a lot to say from the conflict she could read off of him.

"You can play piano too? How many skills do you have?" Adrien asked, Tiana rolling her eyes as yet again her abilities were the main focus.

"My grandfather taught me. Honestly, its not that special. Lots of people can play the piano. You should really see my grandfather with his violin." Tiana said as they started heading towards their class while talking.

"I would, but I feel like he'd be more focused on intimidating me." Adrien said, both of them chuckling at the idea as, yet again, her grandfather had a close eye on him during practice again yesterday when they were near each other.

"Don't take it too seriously. He gets bored easily. I mean, I'd get bored too, if stuck with you for two hours and nothing else to do than teach." Tiana teased, smirking at Adrien as he laughed mockingly back at her.

"Your so funny." Adrien mocked as they arrived at the door to their classroom.

"Well, I try. I'm told I have my grandfathers sense of humor." Tiana teased, before spying Marinette watching them from inside the room with a worried expression. Oh now what does she have to worry about?

It's not like she's anything like Chloe. She wont outright tell Adrien that Marinette is head over heels for him.

"So, do you have plans for lunch?" Adrien asked, snapping her attention back to him as she faintly heard a trio of gasps from inside the room.

"Marinette invited me and Alya to lunch at her parents bakery again. I'm sure if you ask her, she'd be more than happy to invite you along too." Tiana offered with a warm smile, both of them immediately dropping their smiles when they heard Chloe scoff loudly from her seat.

"I'll ask her then." Adrien said, before they started heading to their separate desks.

Tiana grinned at her two friends as she passed them, Alya giving her a thumbs up while Marinette looked conflicted about something. She was sure that she had started trying the meditation idea she had given her, but it probably was still nerves about actually being left alone with Adrien to talk.

Tiana sat down beside Nathaniel to see he had a curios expression on her now. "What?" Tiana asked, trying once again to steal a glance at his current work only for him to yet again block her attempts.

"Was he just about to ask you out to lunch?" Nathaniel asked, and immediately Tiana's smile dropped. That...wasn't what happened.

Glancing down to Marinette, she worried if that was what she had thought too.

Tiana had no interest in Adrien like Marinette did. Hell, Marinette was her friend, and she would never do something to jeopardize her friends chances to be with the person they cared about.

Tiana ran back over the conversation in her head for a moment. She hadn't been looking at him when he had asked, she looked back after the question because she was putting in to play the plan for Marinette.

Adrien didn't particularly look like he was trying to ask her to lunch alone together either. He was just being friendly. Plus, her grandfather intimidates him, she doubts he'd want to get any closer to that than he already is.

But that didn't mean that Marinette might misconstrue the situation because of her anxiety over trying to tell him how she feels.

"No, he didn't." Tiana answered Nathaniel after a moment of more rapid thought. "He's just being friendly. I am still the new girl, after all." Tiana reasoned, hoping Marinette was eavesdropping on them and could hear that nothing happened like she may fear.

As their teacher droned on and Tiana was writing down notes, she heard the familiar squeak of Marinette, looking up for a moment to see her hiding behind a book and a confused Adrien looking back at her and Alya.

What was that about?

Tiana went back to writing down notes, and before long it was time for lunch.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Tiana asked Nathaniel as they packed up their stuff. She had asked him earlier in the morning if he wanted to come for lunch with her and the others, but he politely declined. He claimed he wanted to spend the break by admiring some of his favorite artists work in the library.

"I'm sure. If you see any snicker doodles though..." Tiana cut him off with a laugh, not needing to hear the rest as she knew how he felt about those cookies.

"I'll bring you some then. See you in a little while, Natty Boy." Tiana said with a smile before heading out to meet Marinette and Alya at the front entrance.

Tiana barely had the door in sight when she noticed the two extra people with their group, grinning as she realized why Marinette squealed earlier. Adrien was talking to her with a kind smile, Alya and Nino whispering something a few feet away and stealing glances at the two as they spoke.

"There you are. We're ready to go now." Alya chimed, grabbing her by the elbow and dragging her along almost as soon as she was in range of her grasp.

"I can walk just fine, Alya." Tiana reminded after being dragged a few feet, Nino helping her out by prying Alyas iron grip off her.

"Look at that though, she's not hyperventilating." Alya whispered to her after they fell back behind Marinette and Adrien, whom were still talking among themselves.

Tiana grinned at her, genuinely proud as she's heard that Marinette has struggled for three years with communicating with Adrien when others weren't around. Maybe her shell was finally falling away.

"Is that from trying meditation?" Nino piped in while also whispering, grinning right along with them. From what she's gathered, it seemed everyone knew how Marinette felt except Adrien.

Talk about blind.

"Might be. If she's been trying it, maybe it helped her relax enough to talk without letting her anxiety get the better of her." Tiana whispered back, before the arrived at the bakery and all grabbed a table to sit down and have lunch.

"Remember the plan." Alya hissed to her and Nino when Marinette was talking to her parents at the counter.

"What are you three whispering about?" Adrien asked, reminding all of them that he hadn't gone up to the counter with Marinette.

Alya and Nino blanked, but Tiana was always quick with her words. "We're laughing at this amazing picture Nathaniel drew this morning. I'll show you it when we get back. Trust me, it'll make your day." Tiana grinned, Alya giggling again at the memory of the picture that she had, unfortunately, left in her locker.

Nino looked confused for a moment, but winced from where he sat beside Alya. Alya herself held a knowing look on him, so she assumed she probably was the reason for why Nino flinched.

"From the way you talk about it, I feel like it's probably a mixture between good and bad." Adrien said with a small smile, Tiana only grinning bigger as he was able to read the mischief from her tone.

"Oh but it's so much better when a douse bad is involved." Tiana purred, catching herself from showing her Rogue side. Even though she was sure that none of them probably knew who Rogue Wolf was, as she hadn't caused too much mayhem yet, she didn't want to risk showing her devious side to just anyone.

Tiana noticed a dusting of pink cover Adrien's face at her words, before turning her attention away from him and to Alya as she typed furiously away at her phone.

Nino was watching her over her shoulder, eyebrow raising every few seconds at what she was doing.

"Okay, what is so interesting on your phone? Are you on your Lady Blog again?" Tiana asked, having heard more than enough about the blog about the two heroes that she would probably be encountering soon.

Well, she's already encountered the cat, but not the bug. She had plenty of fun with the kitty cat though.

"Apparently, Ladybug and Chat Noir have a new adversary." Alya said, before turning her phone to show her a article that showed a picture of the graffiti paw print she had done almost a week ago.

Okaayyy... Maybe they did know who Rogue Wolf was...

Tiana should have honestly expected that Alya would do her due research into Rogue Wolf. She had spent three years following everything to do with Ladybug and her partner kitty cat. Of course, if someone who was possibly a threat shows up, she was bound to find out.

Tiana wanted to frown, but stopped herself. So much for making a grand entrance. Chat Noir ruined her opportunity of making a grand show of her arrival, and subsequent nabbing of whatever shiny little trinket she decided upon.

She hadn't really put much thought into it yet, she'd been too busy and Grandfather was watching too closely for her to be able to sneak away as Rogue.

"Apparently, it's the mark of someone named Rogue Wolf." Alya said before turning her screen back to herself and typing furiously away once more. "I have to get a move on! How could I be so late to the scoop?!" Alya cursed herself as Nino chuckled and patted her on the shoulder.

"It's just one story, Alya. It's not like everyone knows about it yet. You're still getting massively more views than they are." Nino assured her with a smile, before finally Marinette came back with her father helping carry lunch to the table.

"Bon Appétite kids!" Mr. Dupain-Cheng said after setting everything down with help from Marinette. "Let us know if you need anything else." Mr. Dupain-Cheng said before kissing Marinette on the head and walking back to the kitchen.

Tiana had to fight to hide the frown, wishing she actually had parents that paid attention to her like that and willingly showed their affection. Instead of doing it for publicity or because there was nothing better to do.

"Sorry guys, but I gotta go. I need to go look into this Rogue Wolf person better, so I need the library computers." Alya said suddenly, jumping up from her seat. Tiana couldn't honestly tell if that was just an excuse to get away and leave Marinette alone with Adrien, or if she really was ditching them to go research Rogue Wolf.

"I'd better go with, otherwise she'll be there until midnight and miss the rest of class." Nino said as Alya dashed out the door, jumping up to chase after her.

Marinette exchanged a look with her, and Tiana had to hold back the cheeky grin as it was only the three of them now. As far as Adrien knew, this wasn't all planned out to happen.

Marinette gave a pleading look to her though, obviously not wanting to be left alone with him so soon. Just as Tiana was going to come up with an excuse for herself, however, her phone went off from her bag.

A scowl immediately wormed its way to her face, knowing exactly who the ringtone belonged to.

"Everything alright?" Adrien asked as she pulled her phone out, the ringtone ending with a buzz to let her know that she had a new text now.

"I think that's the first time I've ever seen you frown like that. I thought you were nothing but smiles." Marinette teased lightly, glancing down at the phone in her hand as she scanned her fingerprint to open the device.

Just as she suspected, her mother was wanting to see her.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I gotta go though, family business." Tiana said, standing up and grabbing her bag to try to pay for the food that only the two were going to eat.

"You don't need to, it's fine really." Marinette assured when Tiana tried to hand her a few bills. "Are you sure everything's alright?" Marinette asked, genuine concern written on her face for her.

"Yeah, I'm sure. It's just normal that my mother pulls me out of whatever I'm doing like this. I find it unnecessarily rude, but she does it anyways. I'll see you two back in class later, sorry." Tiana said before turning and leaving quickly.

Once down the street and away from the two, Tiana felt Verro shift against her shoulder. "Well, that was perfectly timed, I'd say. You didn't have to make an excuse." Verro spoke up, Tiana realizing that he was technically right.

Well, hopefully Marinette takes advantage of the situation given to her.

"Come on, Verro. Let's go see what she wants now." Tiana said with a sigh, continuing to walk speedily towards the theater that her mother hardly ever left.

Tiana smiled a little when she felt Verro nuzzle under her chin, glad for the little wolfs comfort.

* * *

Marinette tried to steady her hands as she reached for her cup, taking a shaky sip of her tea. They had planned this, she knew this was going to happen.

But it didn't stop the nerves from returning the moment Tiana disappeared out the door.

"Are you okay, Marinette? You seem worried about something?" Adrien asked, and Marinette had to take a deep breath to keep herself from squeaking over how he had been watching her so carefully.

Come on, Marinette. It's Adrien. You can do this. It's not like you haven't been alone before...

"I'm fine. I'm just hoping Tiana is. She seemed upset." Marinette muttered, technically being honest as she hadn't seen her frown that deeply before.

She could only hope it wasn't something serious and that everyone was okay.

"I'm sure she's fine. She didn't look too upset. Its probably nothing." Adrien assured her with a kind smile. Her heart pounded against her ribs at the sweetness in his smile.

"So have you had a chance to get to know her more?" Marinette asked, making small talk as they ate in otherwise silence. Silence if you didn't count her father singing loudly back in the kitchen.

"Kind of." Adrien said, grinning after he took a bite of his croissant. She smiled just at the sight, thankful that Papa had made extra today for her. She knew just how much Adrien loved them.

"She told Alya and I that you two have fencing together. She thinks its funny that her grandfather intimidates you." Marinette said, giggling when Adrien chuckled at the mention.

"Yeah, he's got that air around him that says don't mess with him." Adrien said, before their eyes locked briefly. He smiled at her, those gleaming green eyes filled with warmth and happiness that she really hoped was because of her.

Marinette knew she was blushing by the warm burn against her cheeks, looking down to grab her cup and take another sip. Her heart was pounding far too hard, but at least she wasn't having anxiety attack.

"This is nice." Adrien said after another minute of silence. She looked up to see him finish off his croissant. "Its been a while since it was just the two of us. I was beginning to think you were mad at me about something." Adrien confessed, picking up his cup as she felt her heart quiver at the idea of him thinking she could ever be mad at him.

"Why would you think that? I'm not mad at you for anything." Marinette said before their eyes once again locked.

"Well we haven't really talked much recently. I kind of just assumed, sorry if that was wrong." Adrien cast her an apologetic smile that made her want to cry and hug him close.

"I'm sorry. I've just been really busy recently." Marinette murmured, looking down as shame hit her hard. She hadn't really thought how Adrien might feel about her hiding and silence because of trying to figure out how to tell him how she feels. "I'm not mad, honest. I've just been so stressed out, I haven't really been myself." Marinette explained, looking up when she heard Adrien's chair scratch against the floor.

He was now leaning closer towards her from across the table with a worried look in his usually happy green eyes. "Is everything alright? You're always the happiest person I know, I didn't think you let stress get to you." Adrien said as Marinette felt her face flush hotter at his worry for her.

She felt like she could cry. Adrien actually worried for her?

"I'm fine. I'm learning better how to handle the stress a little safer." Marinette assured, smiling gently at the boy of her dreams.

Adrien pursed his lips before speaking again. "If you need someone to talk to, you could always talk to me, Marinette. You shouldn't have to deal with everything alone." Adrien reminded her, and for a second she was brought back to her conversation with Chat Noir. His words were so identical to what Chat had said to her...

Marinette smiled, feeling much better just from his words. Maybe that was what she needed, to talk to Adrien more one on one. "Thank you, Adrien. I'll remember that." Marinette said, smiling softly at him as he returned her smile and warmed her heart even more.

She felt at that moment that all the stress and anxiety could just melt away, because she knew Adrien was there for her.

* * *

 **And there starts some more of the Adrienette that I said was not gone! It's so adorable!**

 **Btw, I really wish I could draw, because I really want a real life picture like the one described at the beginning of the chapter. I feel like a picture of Chloe like that could just make anyone's day better. But ooh, we see not only a little more into Tiana's friendship with Nathaniel, but her relationship with her mother. Wonder where that's gonna go...**

 **Before I finish this edit note, I just want to say wow! This is only chapter 6, but there's already so many views on this story! It makes me really happy to see how many of you are reading this, I still love how massive the fandom for this story is! I hope your all enjoying it as much as I am writing the chapters out, feel free to give me some feedback if you feel like it!**

 **Thanks as always for reading! I will see you next chapter!**


	7. Surprises

Tiana leaned over Nathaniel's shoulder, watching him sketch while in his own little word. How he hadn't noticed her come up the stairs and stand behind him, she didn't know.

But she was enjoying watching the way he sketched a cute little picture of himself as a superhero. It was really good, like all his art was. A grin wormed its way to her face for the first time in an hour when she watched him begin sketching a female figure beside his own.

"Ooh, who's that?"

Tiana had to jump back quickly to avoid being hit in the face by his shoulder, as he violently jumped in his seat from being startled by her.

Tiana couldn't help herself and began laughing, always finding the thrill of scaring someone too amusing not to laugh at. She took her seat beside him as she was still laughing, very much aware of the glare she earned for scaring the boy.

She laughed for a good two minutes before calming down at last, grinning at Nathaniel as he still glared at her for sneaking up on him. "How long were you behind me?" Nathaniel asked, going back to working on his drawing.

"Only a minute or two. Is the girl in the picture Marinette?" Tiana asked, leaning on his shoulder as she pointed at the notebook that he didn't bother hiding from her view this time.

"No."

"Your a bad liar."

Nathaniel glared at her again for a brief moment before they both turned their attention to the door, Marinette and Adrien walking in together while laughing at something.

Tiana was actually surprised. In all honesty, she thought Marinette would become too nervous after being left alone with Adrien to talk normally with him. Huh, maybe she did try out the meditation and learned to overcome that anxiety.

Now she just had to wonder, did Marinette tell Adrien she has feelings for him or are they still just friends?

Marinette took a seat beside Alya, who too looked surprised by the sight, before turning around to face her with a wide grin.

Tiana grinned back, giving her a thumbs up before their teacher entered the room and demanded their attention.

"Should I assume you weren't actually at lunch with her and Adrien?" Nathaniel asked after a few minutes of taking notes.

Tiana caught herself this time before she could scowl, wiping all emotion from her features like she's tried to remember to do all these years. "No, I had to leave. Mother needed me to come talk with her." Tiana said calmly, not wanting to get in to it right then.

"Is everything alright?" Nathaniel asked instead, Tiana glancing at him for a moment as she wrote her notes to see a mildly worried look for her.

Why does everyone always have to ask her that?

"Yeah, family business. Nothing out of the ordinary." Tiana said simply, giving her full attention to the lesson once more.

Tiana knew the likelihood that he would believe the words she said to him was slim, but fortunately he didn't push. She was happy that he wasn't the type to push her to talk when she really didn't want to.

Before she could even realize it, school was ending. She really wished it wasn't yet, she wanted to feel normal for just a little longer.

Her phone buzzing in her bag reminded her that she was anything but, however.

"Do you want to...maybe go grab something to eat together?" Nathaniel asked as she stood up from her desk, his face dusted pink as she looked at him. Poor sweet boy, he must not be used to asking people to hang out.

"Did I just hear what I thought I heard?" Tiana didn't repress the growl of annoyance this time, turning her gaze down the rows to Chloe who, sadly, hadn't yet left. "Did the wannabe Picasso just ask the bipolar princess out on a date?" Chloe mockingly asked, her little clone standing behind her with her hands on her hips to mimic the spoiled brat.

Tiana vaguely caught the familiar growl from within her jacket, unable to shush him without looking suspicious. If the rich bitch kept it up, however, she'll find out just why she and Verro get on so well together.

Wolves protect their pack, after all.

"You two will make such a lovely couple. We'll look forward to the baby that you ignore in favor of your seemingly important life and the disgusting little shoddy art pieces for one another." Tiana stalked down towards Chloe as she turned away with a snobby laugh.

"Chloe!"

"What is wrong with you?"

"You really cannot help yourself, can you sweetness?" Tiana snarled as she reached the last step, knowing fully well that letting her anger get the best of her was the last thing she should do but unable to help herself. "Is your cry for attention because of the fact that your dad's only way of showing you he could even tolerate you was with his wallet, or because you're just genuinely a nasty little creature?" Tiana growled, not letting her eyes leave the spoiled brat.

Chloe whirled around to face her, nose turned up with an angry scowl on her plastic looking lips. "Excuse you? Who are you to talk about parents loving you? Your Dad doesn't even waste time showing you that he cares, he just leaves you alone. Well, go share alone time with the psycho artist, Princess Tatiana." Chloe snapped right back at her.

Vaguely, Tiana was aware that their other classmates were watching like hawks, even more so that Adrien, Marinette and Alya were trying to get them to stop.

But at the comment about her parents, she stopped caring.

Tiana was seconds from making Verro very proud of their shared wolf qualities, when a big hand caught her by the stomach and pushed her back.

Tiana looked up, only to frown as she realized Mother sent the goons.

"It would be appreciated if you'd stay back from Tatiana, kiddo." Tiana bit her tongue, knowing better than to continue the fight when her mothers lackeys were present.

"Uh, and who do you think you are? Where did you even come from?" Chloe propped her hands on her waist again as she glared up at the man dressed in black that towered over both of them.

"I'm her bodyguard, which means stand back." Tiana smirked as Beau nudged Chloe back with one stubby finger on her shoulder, Chloe's jaw dropping indignantly. "Mrs. Delphine wants you on time, Tatiana. You'll be escorted to and from the theater each practice from now on." Beau advised, and at that her smirk faded.

Well, the freedom was fun while it lasted.

"Delphine Serafini?" Tiana cast a glance at Marinette as she fan-girled for a second before Beau clasped a hand over her shoulder and began leading her to the door.

"Sorry Nathaniel, I'll have to take a rain check on grabbing food." Tiana said with a slight apologetic smile up at her friend before she was escorted out.

This was going to be a long, long day.

* * *

What just happened?

Marinette hadn't seen Tiana that angry before, that was the first moment where she realized she could even be angry. She thought Tiana was just all sunshine and rainbows.

But the moment Chloe had mentioned Tiana's father, it seemed like a switch was flicked. She was just glad that the death glare she had on Chloe wasn't directed her way.

Marinette wanted to squeal about how Tiana was going to some practice with her mother, but she couldn't really find the energy after realizing that Chloe had said something that really must have struck a nerve with Tiana.

Just as Marinette was about to yell at Chloe and stand up for Tiana, Adrien beat her to the punch however. "Chloe how can you possibly be so horrible?" Adrien questioned, glaring at her in disappointment as Marinette looked up the room towards Nathaniel, who was still sitting at their desk in silence.

"Me? Did you hear what she said to me?!" Chloe squealed back as Marinette turned away from the two to go make sure Nathaniel was alright. The last thing she wanted was someone akumatized from their class again. She'll check on Tiana later, but Nathaniel is closest at the moment.

"You always have to start fights with everyone! Why can't you just be nice like you used to be, instead of being this horrible person that you've become now?" Adrien questioned as Marinette reached Nathaniel, noticing he was in his own little thought bubble.

"Are you okay?" Marinette asked, sitting down beside him gently as he flinched at her sudden intrusion.

Nathaniel blinked at her for a moment before turning his gaze away. "I'm fine, Chloe doesn't bother me. I'm just worried about Tiana." Nathaniel replied back as Marinette caught the familiar sound of Chloe's fake crying, looking down as she ran out of the room with Sabrina close behind.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Marinette said, but couldn't deny that she worried too. It was...weird seeing her upset when they were all used to her being so happy. Was there actually problems with her home life like Chloe tried to portray?

Come to think of it, every time someone mentioned parents, she quieted down right away and didn't say much about it. But she happily talked about her grandfather whenever asked.

"I hope so." Nathaniel said before standing up from the desk and walking down to the door without another word to her.

Marinette sighed, wishing that he would get over what happened years ago and treat her like a friend like she tried to treat him as.

Marinette walked back down to her friends to see Adrien pinching the bridge of his nose like he usually did when annoyed by Chloe. "I texted Tiana." Alya revealed as they walked out of the room to start leaving school at last. "She says her mom asked her during lunch to help with the new performance, so that's why that guy showed up to escort her." Alya explained, and while Marinette would usually be excited at the announcement that Delphine Serafini was working on a new play, she couldn't find the energy to.

She could only think about how Tiana didn't look happy to be interrupted by her mother, or by having to go with the bodyguard.

A hand clasped on her shoulder, and her face immediately illuminated red as she realized it was Adrien. "I'm sure she's fine, but you can try talking to her later to be sure." Adrien said, smiling at her softly. Her heart warmed, but only a fraction as she too saw the worried glint in his eyes.

At least she's not the only one wondering if their friend is actually as alright as she claims to be.

Chat yawned, stifling it by hiding his mouth against his arm.

It's been a long day, but he took patrol over for Ladybug, again, in hopes that she'd use the extra time to de-stress and get some much needed rest tonight.

It has been quiet recently, which was kind of disconcerting as Hawk Moth was never this quiet, but he couldn't really complain.

As long as he could get home soon and get some rest himself, he'll be happy.

A howl in the distance caught his attention, however.

Chat looked off in the distance to see a figure darting quickly over the rooftops.

Well, so much for another quiet night.

Chat took off running after the Wolf, not needing a seconds hesitation as he knew, one slip up, she'd be gone again.

Chat dropped to all fours when he noticed the wolf was still a lot faster than him on all fours, starting to catch up to her once he did. They bounded from roof to roof, and as he spied her ears twitch, he knew she was aware that he was behind her now.

Suddenly, she leaped from a roof. His eyes watched as he watched her drop to the ground and roll, continuing to run through the streets.

Chat jumped down as well, not willing to let her get away this time.

At last, their run came to a stop beneath the Eiffel tower, Chat trying to catch his breath for a moment as they were running for fifteen minutes.

A glance at the wolf, she seemed completely unfazed by the run. Her goggles were over her eyes, and a little white bag hung from her mouth.

"I don't have time to play games with you tonight, Chat Noir." Rogue Wolf was the first to speak, throwing him a lopsided grin even with the little bag hanging from her teeth.

"Well it's a good thing we're not playing then, miss. Make it easy for both of us and hand me the bag." Chat said as he stood up, holding a hand out to her. The likelihood of her cooperating was slim, but he knew more about her now. He knew what to expect, so he wouldn't be so easy to outdo this time.

"But this is mine." Rogue said, plucking the bag from her teeth with her claws. "I was just out for a run, you always assume that I'm stealing something?" Rogue asked with a fiendish chuckle that definitely fit her animal persona.

"Well considering who you are, yes. I mean, from what I've learned, you might have even stolen that Miraculous you've got." Chat pointed out, grinning cheekily as the grin she had faded within seconds.

"I wouldn't dare steal a Miraculous, kitten. I may steal jewels and pretty little trinkets, but even I know better than to touch someone's Miraculous. Don't confuse me with Hawk Moth." Rogue spoke with a seriousness he hadn't yet seen in her.

"Did I strike a nerve, wolfie?" Chat asked teasingly, striding closer to her as his grin only grew. Was it possible that he at last had an advantage over her. "Such a purretty wolf as yourself, why waste your time trying to get away with those jewels." Chat mused as he tapped a claw on the bag, before his eyes twitched a little wider as she pulled back the collar of her shirt and stuffed the bag down against her chest.

"Its hardly a waste of my time. The joy I get from watching you scramble over thinking I've sank to the bottom of the Seine, so much fun." Rogue chortled at her words, but Chat kept up his own appearances.

"Your vanishing act was cute, wolf, but it won't work a second time. I know your tricks." Chat revealed, still grinning as she pushed the goggles up and away from her eyes.

"Oh do you, now? Or do you only know the ones I've let the public be aware of?" Rogue teased him by taking a step closer, hands on her hips as her tail swished behind her. "You'll learn, there's a lot you don't know about me, and even more surprises to come." Rogue purred her words, and he could feel the ghost of her words against his skin. A warmth he really didn't feel he needed to feel, but desperately wanted to say didn't feel good like it did.

"I'm sure I'll find out all I need to know soon enough." Chat replied back with a wink, before realizing he'd need to figure out how to get the bag from within her suit.

"Find out what, exactly? What my bare skin feels like?" Rogue cooed, and his body flushed hot at her words and the way she spoke them. Yes, it wasn't unusual for women to flirt with him when he was Chat Noir, but it seemed so different hearing it from another Miraculous Wielder. "Because that's the only way you'll get this bag, is if you get close enough to sneak that little pervy claw of yours down my suit." Chat folded his arms over his chest, not willing to give her the satisfaction of knowing her words actually got to him.

"First, I'm a gentleman, not a purrvert. I'd never lay my hands upon any women without her explicitly asking me to do so." Chat corrected her about the name calling she had done. She only chuckled at him in response.

"So you admit then that there's been others than your "bugaboo"?" Chat's heart skipped a beat as she finished her air quotes about his lady. Even the mere mention of the women he loved could make his heart stammer and yearn more desperately for her.

"No, miss." Was his voice a little higher? Chat cleared his throat as Rogue laughed once again at him. "My eyes and every other part of my body and soul only have her in sight." Chat admitted willingly, as he would never deny his love for Ladybug. Nor has he ever to this day.

Rogue pouted at his words, Chat smirking a little at the white canine he saw dig into her bottom lip. "Aww, but what am I then, kitty cat? Just a little play toy?" Chat blinked at her words.

"Huh?"

"Oh boo, here I thought we might have something special." Rogue cooed, Chat catching the glint of deviousness in those intimidating golden eyes.

Grinning lazily at her, he leaned closer to her. "If you're admitting to your own curiosity about me, all you have to do is hand over the bag and I'd be more than happy to sate that." Chat purred right back, still grinning as the pout left Rogue's lips quickly. Instead, however, she grinned right back at him.

"That's you that's got the curiosity, kitty cat. I know all I need to know about you and your Ladybug. But keep it up, maybe one day I will give you a little nip as reminder of just what curious kitties get for prying too deep." Rogue snapped her teeth to punctuate her sentence, Chat leaning away to avoid her as she laughed at him. "But then again, you'd probably enjoy that too much." Rogue mused, before suddenly her hand moved for her belt.

Chat jumped back quickly as Rogue produced a metal ball from her belt, shielding his eyes as she held it up.

"Ooh, you do know what this is then. Good sleuthing, Mr. Noir." Rogue chimed, before she threw the ball at his feet.

With his eyes protected, Chat moved to dash forwards as he heard another voice call out his name. His heart leaped happily, knowing his lady anywhere.

Before he could response, however, something hit him in the stomach.

A loud, piercing screech suddenly sounded out, and Chat immediately dropped to the ground and shielded his ears. But even covering them with his hands, he could still hear the sound. It surrounded him, piercing his ears to the point he thought they might bleed.

His head started spinning as he curled up on the ground, and at last the flash of the bomb she had thrown faded to leave only the deafening sound to incapacitate him.

Chat slammed his eyes shut as the sound refused to stop, curling into himself further as he felt something press against his back.

Chat opened his eyes at last when the sound finally came to an end, looking up to see a heavily panting Ladybug. "What happened?" Ladybug asked, kneeling down beside him as he uncurled himself and rolled onto his back.

"There was a loud screeching noise, I couldn't do anything." Chat explained, his head still spinning as he tried to forget the unbearable sound.

"She threw a little metal ball at you before she ran off. It was right in front of you when I got to you, I just chucked it in the river." Ladybug revealed, Chat grimacing as he sat up. Well, there was another surprise, like she said.

"Thank you, my lady." Chat thanked before standing up, offering a hand to her to help her up as well. "Next time though, just leave me and go after her. She has more tricks up her sleeve than we realized. She got away, this time with the pilfered jewels." Chat growled, looking away as his words stung worse. Three times now she's escaped, this time with her prize.

"Chat..." Ladybug placed a hand on his shoulder. Usually, he would be ecstatic and lean closer for more contact, but this time he was too disappointed in himself. That's three times now that she's outsmarted him.

What kind of hero was he?

"It's not your fault. She's a lot more cunning than we realized. We need to be careful, and we need to stick together. If she keeps getting you alone like this, she's only going to rip you apart like she's doing right now. Don't let her have that satisfaction of knowing she's getting to you." Ladybug did her best to try to comfort him, but he still couldn't help the anger at himself.

Hell, Plagg will probably have a lot of fun later laughing at him and his misery.

"Thank you, Ladybug." Chat muttered weakly, pulling his baton from his back to go home, but her hand caught his on the metal. His eyes immediately locked on their contact, unable to hold back the erratic beating of his heart now at her closeness to him.

"Please, Chat. You're stronger than she realizes, don't let her get to you. You told me that you're always there for me to talk to, you know that you can talk to me too. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Ladybug said firmly, but held a soft smile that made all his anger and frustration for himself want to just melt away.

Their talk had given him so much hope for them, but this? Ladybug openly holding on to him and trying to keep him from critiquing himself because of his slip ups...

Chat's fingers twitched against hers that still held his hand so gently, locking eyes with her for a moment. Her determination to try to help him made him want to just reach over and hug her tightly, memorize himself with the feel of her warm arms around him and scent that he could follow to the ends of the Earth.

Chat found himself smiling right back at her, leaning closer only for her to take one step back. His ears drooped, wishing she'd let him hug her like he wanted to so desperately.

"Your ring, Chaton."

Snapping his eyes down to his ring, he hadn't even realized how little time he had left. He never even heard it beep.

"Thank you, again, my lady. Purrhaps we can finish this talk tomorrow?" Chat purred, Ladybug retracting her hand from his own as she glared at his pun.

"If you keep making puns like that, I don't know." Ladybug retorted, turning away from him as he slouched. "I'll see you tomorrow, Chat." Ladybug said with another soft smile, before throwing her yo-yo and disappearing once more.

Chat smiled after her before making his hasty escape, not wanting to be caught out this late at night as Adrien.

* * *

Rogue cackled loudly as she skittered to a stop in an alleyway, listening carefully in the event that either heroes were following her.

Upon hearing nothing, she checked to make sure her take was still secured. Grabbing the bag in her teeth once more, she began the trek home.

This was by far more fun than the day time of dealing with the bratty mayors daughter or her mothers perfectionism in the theater.

Once she was sure that the duo weren't searching about for her, she began the journey home for the night. Well, sort of home.

First, she'd have to drop off her prize. She couldn't exactly bring her prizes in to the estate and just leave them laying about. If the staff found it, they may grow suspicious since, as far as they knew, she was back at home in her room for the night.

Once Rogue was down the street from her home, she checked around quickly before propping open a manhole, dropping in quickly before re-shutting it.

It wasn't the most sanitary way of sneaking about, but it made due. She couldn't risk being caught by what security cameras she hadn't yet memorized herself with.

Even worse, Ladybug or Chat Noir spotting her as she returned to her home.

Hitting a button on her wrist, the night vision kicked in on her goggles, dashing down the tunnels quickly until she at last came to a ladder.

Skipping one rung at a time, she shoved the manhole aside and climbed inside, willing the foul stench of the sewers out of her senses.

Standing up, she reached over and uncovered the keypad that was hidden in the seemingly enclosed room.

It lit up as soon as she pulled a glove off, pressing her fingertips to the screen.

With a ding, the wall beside it parted with a low rumble, clambering inside quickly. Once inside, it slammed back shut.

Almost as soon as the door was closed, a black smokey light enveloped her. Once she was herself again, Verro cackled loudly, floating into her vision.

"I wish we could have stayed to see that cats expression! Maybe he'll learn to keep ear plugs on hand when around you." Verro guffawed, holding the white bag in his little paws.

"Maybe, I wouldn't bet on it though. All we have to do is mention Ladybug, and he's a drooling little kitten." Tiana mused, both of them laughing together as they walked further in to the room.

It hadn't taken her long after her arrival in the city to find the bunker that lay hidden beneath the estate. She was certain it was probably from Grandfathers days as General Wolf, as there was plenty of memorabilia in one of the back rooms that had thick layers of dust on them.

Verro also seemed to dawn a dreamy look at the sight of most of it, but didn't want to tell her anything.

Tiana walked back to one of the rooms she had cleaned out for her prizes, Verro howling as he darted off for the mini-fridge that she made sure to stock with food for him.

The vault she reserved for herself was open when she entered the room, mentally reminding herself to lock it up tight from now on.

"Our first prize of Paris, Verro. You proud of me?" Tiana called out to the wolf as she stashed the bag in the little metal box, slamming it shut and spinning the lock afterwards.

"Are you going to resell it and use the money for the people who deserve it?" Verro called back as she walked out to the main room, the Kwami sitting beside her computer monitors as he feasted on his midnight dinner.

"Of course. Why would I need it?" Tiana responded, taking a seat in front of him as he chewed his food.

"Then I'm very proud of you, pup." Tiana growled at him, Verro smirking back at her mockingly for they both knew how she felt about the nickname. "Shouldn't you be getting upstairs to sleep?" Verro asked after a minute stare down.

"Yes, you're not staying down here alone." Tiana reminded, unwilling to let him stay in the bunker alone as who knows what he would get into while she isn't near.

Verro may be an old wolf, but he was still a nosy rambunctious one if he felt up to it.

"It was my bunker first!" Verro snapped, sitting up to glare at her.

"So you admit this is Grandfathers General Wolf bunker!" Tiana yelled back, grinning victoriously at her Kwami as he slouched in front of her. "We'll finish this tomorrow, come on." Tiana said, standing up to go upstairs and get some sleep.

Verro huffed, before suddenly darting over to her and into her shirt once more.

"Fine, but I get to hide here again for the ride."

"Verro, you perverted wolf!"

After another glare down, they headed upstairs. He may be a pesky little thing, but he was still her best friend and partner in crime.

Tiana could only grin excitedly at what fun they could stir up next time they go out as the devious wolves they are.

* * *

 **I wonder how many other surprises Rogue Wolf could possibly have in store? Guess we'll have to wait to find out. Well, I'm already two chapters ahead in writing this, so I get to cheat and know already. But anyways, there's another encounter between Chat and Rogue, this time a little more interesting I would say.**

 **Not only that, but we see a little more into General Wolf's past, not much though. I wish I had a bunker like that though! I really enjoy the interactions between Tiana and Verro though, its so much fun to write as they can be one in the same or polar opposites depending on the situation.**

 **Quick question for you guys, I had to replace last chapter because I noticed my authors note didn't bold print like I had done in the edit before even posting. If you guys see any typos, errors or just anything that doesn't look like it should be like that, please let me know. Fanfiction doesn't like to work properly for me half the time, so I apologize in advance for any errors as when I do see them, it drives me mad.**

 **Thanks as always for reading, you guys! Like I've said before, it makes me so happy to see how many people are reading. It's hard to judge how the story is viewed at the moment, however, as I've only received one review. Please, feel free to review. I do take ideas for the writing, as well as knowing how you guys view the chapters makes me write a little faster. But anyways, thanks again for reading, I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	8. More The Merrier

Adrien smiled one last time at Marinette before she was out of sight, just then catching the sound of laughter behind him.

Turning around, Nino stood behind him with his arms folded. "You and Marinette seem to be getting a lot closer recently, huh?" Nino asked, nudging Adrien in the ribs with an elbow.

"We've been talking more. She's been under a lot of stress, I told her she could talk to me if she needs someone." Adrien revealed, shaking his head at his best friend. Nino knew there was nothing going on.

He knew that he'd been in love with a mystery lady for the last three years.

"How's that going for you?" Nino asked as they started heading for the entrance to leave for the day.

"It's good. I'm just glad all that weirdness that was going on is over." Adrien said with a shrug as they walked out the doors, perking up as he noticed Tiana seated on the last step.

"She's still here? I thought she was being escorted around by that big guy now." Nino commented, before they walked down to her.

Adrien sat beside her, smiling at her as she looked up at them. "You're still here, it's a miracle." Adrien teased, grinning at her as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I don't have to go to practice today. Today's my day off from the theater." Tiana shrugged at the notion, looking down at her phone that was laid against her thigh.

Marinette wasn't the only one whom he had been talking more with. Ever since the bodyguard guy showed up and escorted her out in the middle of her chewing Chloe out a week and a half ago, he's been trying to be a better friend to Tiana too.

It was obvious that something wasn't right in her life, so he wanted to try to help her like he was helping Marinette. What kind of friend would he be if he didn't?

"So what are you up to then?" Nino asked, sitting down on Tiana's other side.

"I'm waiting for Nathaniel. We're supposed to be going to some cafe nearby." Tiana said, both Adrien and Nino exchanging a look before grinning mischievously as they leaned closer to Tiana.

"Sounds like a romantic evening."

"Is there something your not telling us?"

Tiana poked Adrien in the nose, pushing him back away from him while pushing Nino by the shoulder.

Rubbing his nose, Adrien briefly wondered why women had to go for the nose. First Ladybug, now Tiana?

"There's nothing going on, we're friends. Don't be like Chloe." Tiana blew raspberries at even the mention of the blonde girl.

"Well it's not like she's bothering you anymore. Ever since she realized who your mom is." Nino reminded, as Chloe had changed her tune right quick upon realizing that Tiana was the child of the women who had most of Paris weep at her beautiful performances that she spent half the year perfecting.

"No, instead she still bothers my friends. I know I'm new to this whole public school thing, but I still know loyalty to friends." Tiana said honestly, Nino awwing and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Can we just dip you in milk? Your sweeter than chocolate chip cookies." Nino teased, Tiana laughing at him mockingly up until a hand swatted Nino on the back of the head. "Hey!"

"Aren't you supposed to say those things about your girlfriend?"

Adrien snickered quietly as Alya glared down at Nino, the boy jumping up almost as soon as he realized she was behind him.

Tiana too was giggling quietly at the scene.

Alya looked down at them as Nino tried to come up with a compliment for his new girlfriend, which Adrien was glad _finally_ happened. She grinned deviously at them, holding a finger up to her lips to warn then to keep quiet.

Adrien shook his head, glad he didn't have a girlfriend like that. Alya was hard to read at times, so he'd struggle too much knowing what is serious and what is playing.

At least with his lady, he knew how to read her mostly, and had increasing chances of finally winning her heart.

"Umm..."

Adrien looked behind him and Tiana to see Nathaniel awkwardly standing there, looking between the seemingly bickering couple and Tiana.

Tiana didn't even look behind them, standing up immediately and stepping around him to stand with Nathaniel.

"Well, we'll see you guys tomorrow." Tiana said, weaving an arm with Nathaniel's as Adrien noticed the shy boy flush red to match his hair.

"Hey, where are you two off to?" Alya asked, stopping them before they could get more than a few feet away.

"We're going to this little cafe." Tiana replied back, Adrien glancing at Alya as she grabbed Nino's shoulder and dragged him over to the pair.

"Then how's about we make it a group thing." Alya offered, Adrien rolling his eyes at how she just invited herself to go along without even asking Nathaniel, who looked like he didn't want to be around others that much.

"Alya-"

"They were wanting-"

"It's up to Natty boy, not me." Tiana interrupted both him and Nino, nudging Nathaniel with a cheeky smile as he glared weakly at her.

That was one of the few times he's actually seen Nathaniel glare at someone, albeit as weak as it was.

"Oh come on, Nathaniel." Nino wrapped an arm around Nathaniel's shoulder as Adrien stood up to try to convince the two to let Tiana and Nathaniel go. "It'll be fun, you'll find out why Tiana likes us all so much." Nino said, grinning towards Tiana as Adrien pulled his arm off Nathaniel.

"Guys, they planned this for themselves. Let them go have fun together." Adrien said with a smile at Nathaniel and Tiana.

"You can all come, if you really want to." Nathaniel said quietly, looking to Tiana as Alya laughed happily at getting to come along.

Sighing, Adrien followed after them when Nathaniel started leading the way, Alya talking in a whisper to Tiana as they walked.

After walking for about ten minutes, they arrived at a quaint little cafe that made Adrien think of Marinette's parents bakery with how homey and warm it looked.

They all got a table, and Adrien smiled apologetically at Nathaniel as he looked between them and Tiana uncomfortably.

In all honesty, Adrien began to feel like the third wheel as Nino and Alya focused on one another, and Nathaniel said very few words to them but many to Tiana.

He was about ready to say he would leave them all to their thing so he could head home, but Tiana drew his attention.

"Where's Marinette, Agreste? You two have been talking a lot recently." Tiana teased, Adrien retaliating by sticking his tongue out at her.

"She's working on a new design today, Tatiana." Adrien replied, grinning cheekily at her since if she was going to continue calling him by a name he told her she didn't have to, he'd do just the same right back.

"Aren't you a model, though? I'd think you could help her with some fashion sense, not that she really needs it though." Tiana finished with a shrug, as they all knew their friend was the most fashion inclined of them all. Hell, Adrien wouldn't be surprised if one day he hears her name is bigger than Fathers even.

"She's been planning this one for a while though." Alya joined in to their conversation as the owner approached their table.

Adrien smiled back at the happy owner as he placed their drinks down for them before scurrying back to the counter.

"All she told me was that it was a dress she's been wanting to make for over a year. That's a long time to be working on a fashion design. Well, I assume." Tiana shrugged again, Nathaniel chuckling quietly at her words.

"Yeah, since you're not exactly a fashion fan. What was it that interested you again?" Nino teased, flinching as Tiana flicked a bit of condensation from his drink back at him.

"If you must know, I'm interested in many things. Fashion just so happens to not be one of them." Tiana said before taking a sip of her own drink, smiling happily as it passed her lips.

Adrien laughed gently at how she could react to some of the smallest things. But, after taking a sip of his own hot cocoa, he understood why. It was much better than he'd expect from a small little cafe.

"Is it to your expectations?" Nathaniel asked Tiana with a small smile, pouring sugar in his own cup.

"Much better, you have no idea how hard it is to get my hands on anything Mother considers fattening right now." Tiana mused, before Adrien laughed as he realized she had whipped cream left on her lips. "What?" Tiana asked, looking genuinely confused at him.

"You enjoy it so much that you skipped the whip cream. You got some right here." Adrien pointed to his mouth to show her.

Just as Tiana went to grab a napkin, however, Nathaniel beat her to the punch.

Adrien was stunned quiet, as were Alya and Nino, as Nathaniel wiped the cream away from Tiana's mouth with surprising gentleness for someone who was shy to absolutely everything. Even Tiana seemed surprised, blinking back at him in silence before turning her gaze to the others.

"THAT WAS SO CUTE!"

Adrien flinched right along with Tiana and Nathaniel at Alyas sudden outburst, Alya holding so tightly onto Nino's arm that he was flinching in pain.

Nathaniel burst into red, shrinking into himself as Tiana berated Alya for the sudden outburst, Nino trying to pry Alyas hand from him.

Adrien felt even more like a third wheel in that moment, shrinking a little in his own seat as he wished he could have someone to be like that with. Well, not just someone.

Their relationship was improving, yes. But Adrien was finding patience a hard quality to have as he wanted more and more to express his feelings. To hold her, to go out and have drinks or dinner together.

Hell, he'd do anything just to kiss her.

Adrien noticed Nino's eyes on him as he straightened his posture, waving him off as he looked at him in confusion for the sudden bout of sulkiness.

No doubt Nino would ask him later, but right now he didn't want to go into it. Not with the other three around.

Soon, they had all finished their drinks and were ready to head their separate ways.

Alya and Nino were the first to go, Alya practically dragging Nino along with her as they left. Adrien could only laugh at the sight, not feeling bad for Nino in the slightest as he knew what he was getting in to when he asked Alya out.

"I need to get home, too." Nathaniel said, plucking his bag up off the floor. He waved briefly to the both of them before darting out the door.

"Well at least he's getting better about the shyness. He actually waved at you." Tiana mused as they stood from the table as well. Tiana waved to the owners behind the counter before they left the little cafe as well.

"I feel like its more so Alya who intimidates him. I'm sorry that she just invited us along." Adrien apologized as they stood out on the sidewalk.

Tiana waved off his apology with a flick of her hand. "It's fine. The more the merrier. Besides, he started coming out of his shell a little more, so putting up with Alya cooing every few minutes about how cute we are wasn't so hard." Tiana said, rolling her eyes at the memory as he laughed at her.

"Well she might be on to something. You two would be a cute little couple." Adrien teased, Tiana sticking her tongue out at him immediately as he laughed at her.

"Don't be a Chloe, Agreste. Ooh, listen to how that sounds together. Maybe you two will get married one day!" Adrien groaned, holding back a gag at the idea as Tiana laughed at him now.

"Please don't give me nightmares." Adrien muttered, before watching as Tiana pulled out her phone from her bag when it beeped annoyingly.

"And that's Grandfather wondering if I'll be home any time soon. Sorry, Agreste, but I gotta go." Tiana said with a small smile, but he saw how it didn't really reach her eyes.

"Everything's fine, right?" Adrien asked as she started to turn to leave, watching the way she physically tensed and relaxed at his question.

"Yes, my Grandfather and I are fine. My parents, not so much. I'm sure you understand, I've heard about how you and your father get on." Tiana revealed, Adrien frowning a little at even the mention. He could only assume that Nino had told her.

"If you need an escape from that, or someone to talk to about it, you could talk to me. It might help, having someone who also understands problems with their parents to talk to." Adrien said with a smile that he hoped didn't show how forced it truly was.

Tiana chuckled quietly at his words. "I'm fine, but thank you for the offer. I'll keep it in mind for the future. I guess you learn eventually to put up with the lack of attention from the two people who are supposed to pay you mind." Adrien frowned deeper at her words, heart heavy at how true it was.

It pained him how little contact he had with his father, but over the years he has learned to put up with it and try to keep it from effecting him.

"Well if it gets to be too much, you know where to find me, Tatiana." Adrien offered, patting her on the arm as he passed her. She laughed quietly at him, his heart lifting a little more.

"Alright, Agreste. Offer is out to you too, but I know you have Marinette to talk to too. Be sure to invite me, by the way." Tiana mused, walking past him with an amused smile.

"Invite you? To what?"

"The wedding, of course!"

Adrien huffed as Tiana laughed loudly at him, running off down the street with a quick goodbye.

Even as she rounded the corner, he could still hear her laughter drifting along the cold breeze.

The heaviness he felt at thinking about his family lifted a little more, smiling softly at how someone who had very similar problems to him could still stay so positive.

Adrien began walking home as Plagg chortled from inside his shirt.

"Well isn't she just cute. Are you sure its Ladybug you want, I'd love to let her coddle me all day." Plagg purred, fazing through the material with a cheeky smile.

"Why is it everyone cares so much about who is with who?" Adrien asked rhetorically, grabbing Plagg and putting him back in his shirt as someone crossed the street towards them.

Before long, they were home so he fed Plagg to keep him quiet just a little longer.

Soon, he'd be off again to go meet up with bugaboo, his heart skipping excitedly as he leaned back on his couch.

Nothing could get him down as long as he knew he would be seeing Ladybug again soon.

* * *

Marinette smiled at her phone, rolling over on her bed as she typed a quick reply back.

She was faintly aware of Tikki giggling from the other pillow, but was too busy replying to do anything about it.

Marinette had been texting Adrien for the last hour, her work on her dress forgotten. Apparently, her friends had all gone to a cafe together after school.

She was a little disappointed that she had left too soon to go, but she was happy her friends had fun together.

Apparently, Alya was having a field day about how adorable Tiana and Nathaniel were together. She was going to have to look in to what that's all about when she talks to them again.

"Marinette, you're supposed to be finishing that dress." Tikki reminded her, floating in front of her screen to block her view. "You can text Adrien later." Tikki said before pushing her face away from the screen.

"I can work on it tonight when he's asleep." Marinette reasoned, moving her gaze back to the screen. Only for Tikki to snatch her phone from her hand. "Tikki!"

Marinette chased after her as Tikki flew off with her phone, lunging for her when she paused in front of her computer.

Instead, she screamed as she fell into her computer chair, spinning in place for a moment before finally coming to a stop, groaning as everything still felt like it was spinning.

"Are you ready to work on your dress now?"

Marinette glared at Tikki as her friend openly laughed at her clumsiness.

"I'll work on the dress, I promise. I just need to reply to a few more of Adrien's texts!" Marinette squealed before grabbing for her phone again, Tikki flying off once more.

"You've been working on this design for a year, Marinette. I'm sure Adrien will understand if you don't respond to him immediately." Tikki reasoned as Marinette heard her phone vibrate again in the Kwami's little stubby paws.

"Alright, fine!" Marinette agreed, waiting for Tikki to hand her phone back to her. "But I want to reply to his last text first."

"Marinette!"

"Just really quick!" Marinette typed away as fast as she could, barely hitting send before her phone was stolen away again.

With Tikki now guarding her phone, she sighed and got back to work on the dress.

* * *

Tiana spun around in her chair, grabbing her phone from the other end of the large desk. She had no idea who would be blowing her phone up this much this late in the day.

Verro sat on her shoulder as she unlocked the phone, finding she had been added to a group text by Alya that included Adrien, Marinette and Nino.

" _We all need to go out together again – Alya_ "

" _Tiana needs to bring Nathaniel then – Adrien_ "

" _Another dose of adorableness? - Nino_ "

Tiana scrolled through the other messages that she had missed while she wasn't paying attention to her phone, rolling her eyes as she realized they were specifically trying to grab her attention as she was the only one who hadn't said anything in the chat yet.

" _If we're going to go on about adorableness, lets keep in mind how Alya clings to you every time she sees something cute. Cutest couple award. - Tiana_ "

Almost as soon as she turned her screen off to go back to the computer monitors, her phone had another fit of vibrations from receiving texts.

" _She lives! - Nino_ "

" _She does have her phone on! - Alya_ "

" _She does care about us! - Adrien_ "

" _I was doing homework, sorry I can't devote all my time to all of you – Tiana_ "

Verro scoffed from his perch on her shoulder, floating away to sit on the desk again. "Homework, sure." Verro said sarcastically as she turned her attention back to the computer.

"Well, its homework for us. Not them." Tiana mused, grinning at her best friend as he laughed.

"Are you sure it's nothing to do with you wanting to see that black cat again?" Verro asked after a few minutes of watching more videos on the famous heroes of their new home city.

It was Tiana's turn to scoff then, Verro smirking up at her from where he laid on the desk. "There's no such thing as too much information, Verro. He's doing his research on us, it's only fair. It doesn't mean I want to see more of him." Tiana corrected as she once more heard her phone vibrate from the other end of the half circle shaped desk.

As Tiana turned around again to grab it, Verro only laughed louder at her. "You didn't exactly deny that you're curios about the cat like he is about you." Verro teased, Tiana rolling her eyes at him as she typed a quick reply to Alya in the group chat.

"I'm not the cat, remember. Curiosity wont bite me like it will him and his Ladybug." Tiana said, before they both turned to the main entrance of the room as the heavy door clunked loudly.

"Well, this answers me on if you found this." Grandfather said, striding in as they exchanged a look. "Then again, the fact that all the dust was stirred and things moved around was a good clue as well. Also that shiny new computer." Grandfather said, before walking over to the couch that was situated beside the computer and sitting down.

"How did you know we were down here?" Tiana asked, closing out of the windows on the screens.

"Well, you weren't in your room, I figured you went exploring again." Grandfather responded, looking around the room with a wistful smile. "It has been a while since I've been down here. Before you all arrived, I'd say about three years, give or take a year or two. Great memories, right Verro?" Grandfather asked the wolf, Tiana shooting him a triumphant smile as he still wouldn't outright admit that this had been the previous General Wolf's bunker.

Now, it was Rogue Wolf's Lair. But they wouldn't tell Grandfather that.

"It would be even better if it wasn't all coated in dust." Verro lamented, tapping away at the keyboard to open new windows on the screens.

"Better it dust than it not being here at all." Grandfather reminded as Tiana chuckled quietly at the two. It's been ten years since Grandfather passed the Wolf Miraculous on to her, but he and Verro still acted like they were never apart.

"I say it looks better now, without the thick layers of dust." Verro argued before Grandfather waved him off dismissively.

"Your mother was looking for you. I told her you were likely practicing your piano lessons." Grandfather revealed, Tiana smiling thankfully at him for throwing the woman off her trail. She had to deal with her every other day, this was a day she just wanted her to leave her alone.

It had been a good day, her mother would only make it less so.

"Did she take it at that and decide to let me my freedom for the night?" Tiana asked, glancing to Verro to see he didn't care about their conversation and was instead drooling over pictures of deer and buffalo on the screen.

"Well I had to convince her some, but she eventually did." Grandfather said with a chuckle, leaning back on the old couch. "Did you have a wonderful time out with your friends today?" Grandfather asked after a moments silence.

"Yes, we went to this cozy little cafe near the school." Tiana explained, leaning back in her own computer chair to just enjoy the pleasant conversation.

"Ah, the ones owned by parents or newly weds are wonderful. They put all their passion in to their creations. Perhaps you and I should go together next time, escape from your mother for a little longer." Grandfather said with a devious glint in his golden eyes that made her grin wider.

She had known it couldn't have been her parents whom she had earned her deviousness from, they were both so by the books and perfectionist that stepping outside the perfect lines would never do. But Grandfather understood her, and that she needed some freedom from the rigid monotony that was life with them.

"Will I actually get something from there this time?" Verro interrupted their conversation, glaring briefly at her as he had apparently wanted something, but she couldn't much do anything about that with there being four other people there who they couldn't let see him.

"Of course. You'll have to wait until we are somewhere more private, as per the rules." Grandfather reminded Verro, earning a drawn out groan of frustration from the old wolf.

"I don't see why we cant just use your dogs again." Verro lamented once more, Tiana tilting her head in confusion as to what he meant.

"Use the dogs for what?" Tiana asked, looking to Grandfather to see a thoughtful look come over his face.

"Well, hiding in plain sight would be swell. If you won't eat everything that drips with spice or meaty juices." Grandfather said to the Kwami, before turning his attention back to her. "It's a little trick that we learned many years back. Kwami have more power than we humans realize, and Verro here could share control over an animal as long as its genetics are similar to his own species." Grandfather explained, Tiana only blinking at him before turning to Verro.

"And you couldn't have told me this before you got us into however many situations you have over the years?!" Tiana barked at the Kwami, Verro immediately shooting up to glare right back at her before Grandfather separated them.

"It's not as easy as you'd think, Tiana. All this science fiction and paranormal hoo ha about possession and mind control, whatever they call it, isn't exactly how it works. Yes, Verro would be able to control a dog, but the dog would have to be either a wolf hybrid, or a pure wolf for it to work. Dogs like you see out on the street, or use to run with when you were General Wolf, won't suffice." Grandfather continued to explain, before standing from the couch.

Verro stuck his tongue out at Tiana as he turned his attention back to the computer.

"That being said, I was meaning to give you a present. I guess now would be a swell time as any to do so." Grandfather said, before heading back to the heavy metal door that protected them from the rest of the estates staff entering the room.

Grandfather departed, leaving Tiana to glare at her Kwami for no more than ten minutes before returning with a new companion trotting at his side. "Your father suggested you need a guard dog, now that he'll be taking on new dangers from being Prime Minister. Meet your new friend, King." Grandfather said, before the large mutt darted over and leaped up onto her, lapping eagerly at her face as he rested his paws on her legs.

"He's massive!" Tiana said, laughing as she scratched the furry beast on the head, Verro growling from the desk.

"Well what would you expect of a wolf hybrid? Of course, before I let you two even consider roaming around with Verro in possession of him, you'll have to undertake some training." Grandfather revealed with another devious glint in his eyes.

Verro exchanged a look with her as the dog jumped off her and walked back to Grandfather. Exchanging their own mischievous grins, they turned back to Grandfather.

Hiding in plain sight, sounded like they were bound for even more excitement than they foresaw!

* * *

 **Can I just start with how amazing it is to see this story has already gotten over 900 reads? Not only that, but the people who have also favorited and followed it? Its no wonder I've written up to chapter eleven already!**

 **Anyone who can figure out why I named King that, or who that's referencing that works on the show, I'll give you props because I haven't made it too obvious. The breed of dog that he is will be mentioned next chapter, I just ran out of space in this one, sorry.**

 **Anyways, we see a little more of Tiana and Nathaniel this chapter. Ooh, I wonder what's going on there... But not only that, we see that Kwami's have a little more power than we've realized, and we'll see more in to that later on. So much planned, so much to write. I'm just excited to write the bits of Marinette and Adrien to show how that goes.**

 **I'd like to give a big thank you though to those anonymous reviewers. Maybe might slow down so that the chapter I'm writing while posting isn't about three ahead of where you guys are... But reading how you guys are feeling about this story does inspire me with more ideas to keep the chapters coming, so thank you so much. I'm just happy to see you guys are enjoying it as much as I'm enjoying writing it. What you pointed out though in your review, Guest, I got to that bit with Chloe in another chapter or two. I was actually working on it when I saw your review, so thank you for helping me flesh that part out a little with your view! But the part about Kim crushing on Mari, is that true? I don't remember seeing that in any of the episodes, only that he crushed on Chloe. Is it in season two or the comics?**

 **Enough rambling, I'm going to get back to writing, so I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	9. Little Red and The Wolf

Ladybug stretched an arm across her chest, looking out over the city for any sign of movement.

Its been far too quiet recently. She could only wonder what Hawk Moth was up to.

At that, she had to wonder when the next time that Rogue Wolf character would rear her head. On one hand, she was just as dangerous as Hawk Moth because she held the Wolf Miraculous. It also didn't help that she was highly unpredictable, almost like she could see what they were going to do next and change her tactics to match them.

Ladybug knew that she needed to discuss this criminal more with Chat, as he's had more encounters with her and from the sounds of it done his research, but until that point she would have to work with what she knew so far.

Sadly, that was only what she's seen happen when Chat encountered her.

Throwing her Yo-yo to get back to patrolling, Ladybug soared through the air once more.

Where was Chat tonight? He's been showing up every other patrol or so just to follow her about and talk, even though she told him he didn't have to.

It was nice talking with him, yes. But she knew how his thinking worked. He would start thinking that the more they talked, the higher his chance of finding out who she really is. He was persistent, and she was a little surprised by how he wasn't flirting with her as heavily as usual.

As Ladybug soared towards another roof, she noticed something sitting on another roof not to far away. Changing direction, she propelled towards the figure.

It was probably Chat waiting for her to land to chase after her.

But as Ladybug touched down on the roof, she knew immediately she had guessed wrong.

Lounging on the edge of the roof, Rogue grinned over at her. Golden eyes glowing in the dim moonlight. "Well, and here I thought I wouldn't get to meet you for just a little longer. _Bonsoir, Ladybug._ " Rogue mused as Ladybug stood back.

"What are you up to this time, Rogue Wolf?" Ladybug questioned, getting straight down to business. She knew Chat was a good hero, but his pride and curiosity were a definite issue as he bantered too much with the criminals.

"Straight to the chase, huh? Oh, boo." Rogue tutted, sitting up on the edge of the roof. "I was just out for a lovely stroll through the city, but I found a sight even more enticing than the city." Rogue cooed, still grinning at her as Ladybug stiffened a little more.

Ladybug was aware of her flirty banter with Chat, and it did irritate her to know about. Surprisingly. But hearing it throw it her way made her uneasy.

"What's wrong? Does the kitten have your tongue?" Rogue asked with a tilt of her head to the side, very reminiscent of her animal that she was modeled after.

"I'm not as easy to trick as Chat Noir, Rogue Wolf. Whatever you've done tonight, I'm going to give you a few seconds to surrender yourself. If you don't, then I'll be forced to apprehend you myself." Ladybug warned, holding her Yo-yo a little tighter than usual.

Rogue tutted once again at her, standing from her sitting position and balancing precariously on the edge of the roof. "I wouldn't expect you to believe me, what with your little kitten switching his time between you and I now. But for once, I'm actually not up to anything devious tonight. As I said before, I'm just enjoying the view." Rogue said as she held her arms out to balance herself as she strutted along the edge of the roof.

Ladybug actually hoped she'd topple off with how she talked about Chat, biting her tongue to hold back the foreign feeling towards her partner.

"Well, your right. I don't believe you. I also know you did steal those jewels last time Chat caught you." Ladybug reminded, the wolf laughing deviously as she strode past her. Ladybug turned to follow her path, unwilling to let her out of her sight.

"I wouldn't say caught. He spent a good time chasing after me, I just slowed down to let him get that flirty banter out that he's so famous for. Does it bother you that he flirts with women that aren't you?" Rogue asked, turning her gaze to her as Ladybug watched her white teeth glimmer too in the moonlight.

Ladybug bit her cheek for a second to hold back a snide comment. "Chat is my partner. He can do whatever he wants, but if you actually believe he's seriously flirting with you, then you're a little more crazy than we thought." Ladybug replied back snidely, Rogue oohing at her comment.

"Ooh, so the heroine does know jealousy!" Rogue exclaimed with a laugh, turning and walking back the other direction down the roof. "Don't tense yourself up, Red. I'm not going to bite, at least not unless you ask me to." Rogue flashed her teeth at her once again before focusing on her footing on the roof's edge.

A growl wormed its way out from the nickname, really hoping that the wolf slips up and does take a tumble. A smack to that ego would serve her right.

"Where's the jewels, Rogue Wolf?" Ladybug questioned, walking after her when she went further down the roof.

"Sold."

"To who?"

"I can't divulge my clients, that would be an invasion of their privacy. I don't ask you what your identity is, do I?" Rogue replied as Ladybug tried to figure out where her Miraculous would possibly be. A thief like her couldn't possibly deserve that Miraculous. At that, how could a Kwami ever willingly go along with her actions.

"I don't believe that you would sell them, either. Where are they, Wolf?" Ladybug asked one more time, holding her Yo-yo up to prepare to fight the wolf if need be.

Rogue propped her paws on her hips, looking her down with a smile no longer present on her face. Good, she shouldn't smile. She wasn't in the mood for playing with her like Chat had unfortunately done.

"I told you, I sold them. I sold them, and I proceeded to give the money away." Ladybug's anger diminished a little at that statement, a little confused about why a criminal would give away the money they made over a steal.

"You gave it away?" Ladybug asked incredulously, faintly hearing the sound of someone else nearby. Looking to her rear, she saw Chat vaulting their way. About time!

"Well of course!" Rogue chimed loudly, clasping her paws behind her back now. "I don't need of the jewels, nor do I want the money. So the right thing to do is give it to someone who does need it." Rogue said as Chat finally landed on the roof, taking a defensive stance at her side.

"The right thing to do would have been to give the jewels back to their rightful owners." Ladybug corrected her as Rogue looked between her and Chat with a smile, her furry tail wagging behind her.

"Really?" Rogue asked with a laugh, a sound that made her think the animal she resembled with the bark undertone. "The "owner" has plenty of other stock to keep them above water. A few little jewels that are now helping others will hardly be missed." Rogue said with a dismissive wave at her that made her feel like she was viewed as idiotic for even suggesting the owner was more important.

Her frown of annoyance turned into a scowl as she wanted to throw this girl behind bars and let her stew for a few decades or so.

"Why did you do quotes around the owners?" Chat questioned, mimicking the hand gestures that Rogue had done. Ladybug's glare turned to him then, as that wasn't important.

"Well, purretty kitty," Rogue purred, and her glare switched once more to the wolf as she noticed immediately the devious grin. "How sure are you that the owners were the rightful owners? Or that they even acquired the product by, as you would assume, legal and justifiable means?" Rogue asked in return, Ladybug swatting Chat briefly as she saw the look in his eyes that told her he was actually thinking about this.

"So, what? You think you're some kind of Robin Hood?" Ladybug asked back with a scoff at the notion of any part of this wolf even remotely being good.

Rogue laughed openly at her. "Of course not, little bug." Rogue replied through her laughter, Ladybug about to throw her Yo-yo. "I have far too much respect to ever consider myself like someone else. I'm the one and only neutral, Rogue Wolf." Rogue said before turning her back to them.

Ladybug was tired of listening to this cocky wolf talk. Throwing her yo-yo, it wrapped around her forearm.

"I'd really suggest you undo that." Rogue said, turning to look at her over her shoulder.

"Ladybug-"

"Rogue Wolf, you're going to return the jewels to us now. Then, you're going to go have a chance to think about how wonderful you think you are, behind bars." Ladybug advised, holding the string tight.

Rogue tutted at her yet again. "Well, I warned you." Rogue said as Ladybug went to yank her towards her. Instead, she felt the weight shift and her feet skid across the ground as Rogue fell over the ledge.

Scrambling, Ladybug held tighter to the string as Chat grabbed her to try to keep her from going over the ledge with the thief.

Both Ladybug and Chat slammed into the ledge, holding on as she felt the string tug and pull in her hand. Suddenly, it went limp. Looking over the edge, Ladybug thought she would see Rogue gone.

"Peekaboo!"

A bright flash of light blinded her, and she was shoved back away from the ledge with Chat by the force of Rogue propelling over the edge into her.

The string was yanked from her hand as she rubbed her eyes, trying to see again to catch the nuisance wolf.

"I did warn you, so in all honesty this is your fault." Rogue spoke, and just as Ladybug started to see color again, she felt her arms be yanked over her head and be pinned by the wrists. With the weight of Chat sprawled across her legs, she was pinned as the view of Rogue grinning cunningly down at her faded in through the blinding white, goggles down over her eyes instead of above them like they had been.

Even through the black lenses, she saw the cocky look in those bright golden eyes.

"You know," Rogue trailed a claw over her neck and up towards her chin, holding her head in place as she tried to fight off her unwanted touch. "I quiet like the sight of you beneath me. Purrhaps your little kitty wouldn't mind sharing." Ladybug tried to free her legs from Chat, wanting to kick her alone for the stupid pun as she hated it even more hearing it from another person. It was annoying enough having Chat do it.

"Chat, get off!" Ladybug snapped at him, unable to move her head to look down at him. Faintly, she heard what sounded like him gasping for breath.

"He can't move right now, those cat eyes you know. They're a lot more sensitive to sudden changes in lighting than yours. Doesn't help I hit him in the stomach when I came over the ledge." Rogue shrugged, before leaning down into her personal space.

Ladybug tried to slam her forehead forwards into her nose, but Rogue moved back just in time with a laugh. "Let go of me!" Ladybug snarled, trying to wrench her wrists free.

With an impish smile, Rogue yanked her wrists forward, forcing her to sit up. The change in posture gave her a chance to try to pull her legs out from under Chat as he began to stir, but before she could something else bound her wrists.

She was pulled forwards again to another uncomfortable position, yanking her hands as Rogue tried to tie hers with Chats. But Rogue was much faster than she had actually anticipated. With a growl at being flicked on the forehead when their hands were bound together, Rogue laughed once again.

"Well I don't fancy myself a matchmaker, but I'd say you two look like you'll have a lovely night together. Don't forget protection, kids! I'll be seeing you soon, little Red. Maybe next time you'll let me show you my bite isn't so bad, at least not when you ask nicely." Rogue purred, before dashing off the roof. With a howl, she was gone.

Ladybug shoved Chat off her legs immediately, her partner groaning as he rubbed his eyes on his forearm. "Chat, she's getting away again!"

"I still cant see, my lady!" Chat snapped right back at her.

Ladybug tried to yank her hands free from his own, the red fabric not willing to give. Leaning down, she tried to pull it free with her teeth instead.

After about a minute, it began to loosen as Chat tried to pull free as well, looking a little better as he pulled his eyes from his arm at least.

"Why does she carry satin?" Chat asked, Ladybug glaring at him as at last their hands were free. Rubbing her wrists to try to rid her body of the feel of those horrid claws on her, she stood up.

"That doesn't matter, Chat. What matters is she got away again." Ladybug growled, scanning the roof tops for any sign of the thief.

There wasn't a single sign of the wolf, so she turned back to Chat to see him toying with the satin bindings.

Snatching them from him, she threw them over the edge of the roof to let them float off somewhere she wouldn't have to see them again.

"What was that for? We could have used those to try to track her." Chat pointed out as she stood up, stretching her arms that had started to tighten up from being manhandled by the wolf.

"I think she's a little smarter than you give her for, Chat. I doubt she'd leave even a chance of us finding her with some fabric." Ladybug replied as Chat stood up himself, flinching as he held his stomach. "How hard did she hit you?" Ladybug asked, feeling her temper simmer slightly as it wasn't Chats fault this happened.

"Not very, it just knocked the wind out of me." Chat said, before walking away to the other end of the roof and bending down. She was about to ask what he was doing, but he stood back up with her yo-yo in hand. "Here." Chat handed the yo-yo back to her.

"Thank you, Chat Noir." Ladybug replied, putting it back at her side as she sighed. She could still faintly feel the pinch of those claws on her wrists, rubbing at her wrists absentmindedly before giving her full attention to Chat.

"She didn't hurt you?" Chat asked, smiling gently even considering how they were played by the wolf like they were always her prey.

"No. But now that you're here, I want you to tell me everything that you've learned about her, Chat. We can't let her keep pulling one over on us, especially not when she already got away with stealing from one business." Ladybug reminded, retrieving her yo-yo from her side once more for them to go elsewhere to talk.

She wanted as far away from the roof as possible. The sooner she could push what she'd done to them to the back of her mind, the better.

"After you, my lady." Chat said, before they were off across the roof tops once again.

* * *

"Why do you have a dog with you today?"

Tiana scratched King behind the ears as she sat on the stairs of the school, mentally cursing Verro for his carelessness. It was his job to make sure that King didn't get loose and run after her, today.

So much for his being secured in the estate.

"I didn't realize he followed me from home." Tiana replied to Alya, pulling out her phone to call Beau to come get the wolf hybrid. Mother had hired Beau to be her bodyguard, so he could come pick up the guard dog.

"What's his name? He's so beautiful." Marinette cooed, sitting beside her and rubbing the mutts head as he smiled happily at them.

"His name is King. My Father wanted me to have a guard dog, because of his job, but Grandfather went and picked him up from Italy last week. He's an Lupo Italiano." Tiana revealed after sending the text to Beau to come get her protective guard dog.

"He looks like a wolf." Alya replied, looking cautious about even being near her dog.

"Well I would hope. The breed is a wolfdog hybrid, after all." Tiana pointed out with a shrug, Marinette stopping petting the dog for a moment as he laid against her legs.

"Is that safe?" Marinette asked, King panting in her face as Tiana wished they would look away long enough for Verro to help her out.

"Yeah, these guys are a mix of German Shepherd and Wolf. They're the official work dogs of Italy, they're definitely safe. Just don't act like you're a threat to me, he is my guard dog supposedly." Tiana reminded, Alya sitting down on her other side to pat the dog as well.

"He's so cute, its hard to think of him as dangerous!" Marinette squealed, petting King once more as he happily panted in front of them.

"Woah, you brought a dog to school today, dudette?" The girls looked up to see Nino and Adrien walking over to them.

"Well, its more like he followed me to school today. My actual bodyguard is coming to get him right now, but meet my guard dog King." Tiana said as the boys stood in front of them, Adrien not hesitating to start petting the dog with Marinette.

"He looks like he could rip a soccer ball to shreds." Nino chirped excitedly, taking a seat beside Alya as they still had a little while before classes started.

"Well he could, just don't kick a soccer ball towards me if he's watching. He does have that wolf in him, being a Lupo Italiano." Tiana reminded, Nino laughing excitedly before another loud squeal broke the air.

"That dog is sooooo cute! I want one!" All four of them sighed as Chloe stepped out of her limo, about to dash over to them.

"Sorry, Chloe. But he's Tiana's." Alya apologized with a fake tone, leaning on Nino as she spoke.

"What breed is he? My father would be more than happy to buy his puppies if your father is selling any." Chloe said, about to pet King but he shoved forward closer to her, standing defensively in front of her.

Tiana blinked, patting King on the head as she felt Verro worming his way down her sleeve towards the dog. "He's Tiana's guard dog, Chloe. I doubt he has any puppies." Marinette said, before casting a hopeful look on her as Tiana giggled at her want of any puppies as well.

"Also, he's an Lupo Italiano. Sorry to disappoint, but they're work dogs. By law, they're not allowed to be breed for any other reason than working. They can't be your house pet." Tiana pointed out, Chloe pulling a snotty pout as she looked down at the dog.

"I doubt that. He looks like a German Shepherd. Daddy can just buy one for me that doesn't come from your family." Chloe said, before strutting off with Sabrina close on her tail.

"Good luck finding one!" Tiana chimed after her, looking up as the black car that belonged to Beau pulled up.

"Is that really true that you can't have one if not for a work related reason?" Marinette asked, frowning slightly as Tiana giggled at the cuteness of her wanting one so bad.

"Just say it'll be a therapy dog for your anxiety, and I'll be more than happy to give you a puppy." Tiana said, Marinette squealing with excitement before grabbing her in a hug.

"Come on, mutt." Tiana scoffed as they were interrupted by Beau walking over, holding out a hand to grab King by the collar.

"He won't respond to that." Tiana reminded, King still sitting obediently at her side as Adrien patted him on the head.

"He'll respond to bones, though." Beau said, pulling a raw hide from his jacket pocket to wave in front of the dog.

Instead, King still sat obediently.

Her friends laughed as Beau dawned an annoyed look at how King wouldn't do as he told.

"Can you give him to Grandfather when you get back?" Tiana asked, Beau nodding as he pocketed the raw hide once more. "Thank you. Go on, King. Go home with Beau." Tiana ordered nicely, King standing up and trotting over to the open door of the car and getting in.

Marinette cooed at how adorable he was once again before Beau too got in the car and left with her dog, Tiana for a moment wondering if Verro had managed to get to him without her realizing.

A nudge on her ribs told her he hadn't, however.

"I will love you so much if you give me one of his puppies." Marinette said as they all stood to go to class, Adrien laughing as he walked beside her.

"What, you don't love me already for how I've managed to infuriate Chloe so many times for your amusement?" Tiana asked, pouting mockingly at Marinette as she snickered at the fond memories.

"Just be careful, girl. She might tantrum enough to her father that they'll try offering to buy King." Alya pointed out, earning a scoff as no amount of money would ever convince her to give King to a girl like Chloe.

"I wish Father would let me have a dog. I've never had one." Adrien revealed, Marinette awwing at his words as Tiana exchanged a small smile with Alya at the cuteness.

"Your fathers big on security, isn't he? Just say you'd like a guard dog too." Tiana offered, smiling at Adrien encouragingly as, while she's never met Gabriel Agreste, you never know if it will work until you try.

"I doubt it would be that easy." Adrien muttered, forcing a small smile in return before they all arrived to class.

"Well if that's the case, you're all more than welcome to come see King whenever you like. I'm sure Grandfather will be bringing more of his breed home soon too, he's been enamored with King since he got him for me." Tiana laughed as she thought of how Grandfather couldn't seem to resist patting the dog on the head or making sure he was fine after she and Verro were done testing their new trick out with him.

They all went to their seats as Miss. Bustier walked into the room. Sitting down at her desk, Nathaniel was once again in his own little world while sketching in his notebook once again.

"You still working on that comic book?" Tiana asked, setting her bag down beside their desk as Nathaniel finally looked up at her.

"No, something else now." Nathaniel said, closing his notebook as she tried to steal a glance.

"Mean." Tiana pointed, Nathaniel scoffing at her pout as Miss. Bustier began calling out attendance.

"You can be patient." Nathaniel reminded her, going back to drawing once Miss. Bustier finished with attendance.

"I can, but I don't want to." Tiana mused, leaning on Nathaniel and making him close his notebook once again. With a grin at him, she moved off his shoulder and reached down for her bag.

Nathaniel didn't open his notebook again, so it must be something he wants to keep a secret a little longer. With a chuckle, she pulled out the little baggie she had brought for them. A grin formed at how he didn't even hesitate to grab one of the little muffins for himself, a grin on his own face as well at the flavor.

"Who makes these for you every day?" Nathaniel asked after they both swallowed some of the snicker doodle muffins down.

"The staff who feels bad for me all the time because my parents aren't ever home." Tiana revealed, waving him off as he opened his mouth to say something. "It's fine, really. I'm used to the sorry looks I get from staff by now." Tiana reminded, as after so many years of her parents prioritizing their jobs over family time she learned to stop expecting them to ever change their ways.

"They make you whatever you ask for?" Nathaniel whispered after they were shushed by Miss. Bustier and hid the baggie of muffins from her view.

"Yes, why you have a request of something other than snicker doodle for once?" Tiana asked, smirking at Nathaniel as she knew just how much he loved snicker doodle flavored anything.

"No." Nathaniel muttered, Tiana then realizing he was once again drawing instead of writing down notes like the rest of the class was supposed to be.

Trying to peek one more time, she smiled innocently when Nathaniel looked at her and immediately closed the notebook once again.

Well, it didn't hurt to try.

Before she even realized, class had flown by and it was lunch break. "Come on." Nathaniel said, tapping her elbow as he stood beside her.

Tiana blinked, thinking for a moment if they had planned lunch together. Her original plans were to go home for the break to ensure Beau didn't just tie King up outside when she told him to give him to Grandfather.

"Are we going somewhere?" Tiana asked, standing as Nathaniel tucked his notebook against his side, glancing down to the door where Marinette was happily chatting with Adrien.

So adorable.

"Yes, we're going to that cafe for lunch this time." Nathaniel revealed, Tiana mildly proud of him for being assertive instead of shyly asking her if she'd like to go.

"Aww, I'm so proud of you Natty Boy." Tiana cooed, wrapping her arms around him before he could escape and coddling him as he stuttered and struggled to get free from her grasp.

"Can you let go of me now?" Nathaniel asked after long enough of her embarrassing him by coddling him in front of what classmates remained.

"Fine, fine. But I want to see what you were so focused on drawing while we're eating." Tiana said while linking her arm with his, letting him lead the way down the steps to the door.

Faintly, she was aware of some snickering from some of their classmates, but ignored it. It didn't bother her what they thought, what bothered her was the harassment that Chloe committed against all of them. They were free to think what they wanted.

As they were heading out the main entrance, she spied Marinette walking down the street with Adrien. No sign of Alya or Nino.

"Ooh, she's finally getting somewhere!" Tiana cooed, so proud of her friend for working through the anxiety to get closer to their friend that she had been crushing on for so long.

"What are you talking about?" Nathaniel asked, a genuine look of confusion in his eyes.

Nodding towards Marinette and Adrien, she continued smiling. "Marinette. She's getting over her anxiety about being around Adrien." Tiana revealed, before her smile faded as she watched Nathaniel's own mood dampen.

"About time, I guess." Nathaniel muttered, turning away from the sight of the two to walk towards the cafe.

"Nat?" Tiana called, trailing after him as she realized how it might hurt him to see the girl he very likely had a crush on with the boy she had a crush on instead of him.

Nathaniel didn't respond to her nickname like he usually did, just continued walking. Frowning, Tiana walked up to walk beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and forcing a huff of embarrassment from him.

"Don't let it get to you. Just think of it as she's finding happiness, and you'll find yours too." Tiana tried to cheer him up, smiling softly when he cast a sad look on her. "Come on, you know you wanna smile. Its me your looking at!" Tiana teased, poking him in the cheek and earning a glare.

With a yelp, Nathaniel shoved her arm off his shoulder, swatting her when she tried to cling to him once again.

"Ego, much?" Nathaniel asked, Tiana grinning as he weakly smiled back at her.

"No, why would you assume that? I'm just a wonderfully positive person, how could you possibly be sad when I'm hear to cheer you up?" Tiana asked, still grinning even as Nathaniel mockingly laughed at her words.

"Yeah, I think you need to deflate that ego a bit." Nathaniel teased, before Tiana bumped her hip into his and they dissolved into quiet giggles.

* * *

 **There's the fated first encounter between the wolf and the ladybug! I was so excited just to write this chapter, but yet I finished it in a few hours... Well, at least we got to see how annoyed Ladybug is by the cocky flirty wolf. Not to mention that she also has plenty more tricks up her sleeves.**

 **Anyways, I'm glad to see more people are favoriting and alerting the story as the chapters keep coming. Also, thank you Clarisa for the review. I haven't actually had the chance to read the comics yet, I've only known bits and pieces of them. I definitely didn't know about Kim crushing on Marinette too though. But a few of the things you wondered about in your review will soon be answered, unless they were answered this chapter. I'm writing chapter 12 at the moment, so I'm a little off. But thank you so much for the review!**

 **I've got to go though, more writing to do, so I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	10. Makes You Think

Marinette squealed in her pillow as loudly as she could, stopping when she was out of oxygen. Pulling her face back out, Alya and Tiana were laughing at her little fit.

"I take it that means your lunch went well." Alya commented, Tiana still laughing at her.

"Did you tell him?" Tiana asked after controlling her laughter at last.

"No, not yet. I want to make sure everything is perfect!" Marinette squealed, clutching her pillow to her chest now as she thought about how well things have been going recently. Her and Adrien have been talking so much, its been so nice she hasn't really thought to tell him how she dreams of him every night and had loved him for three years.

"So why is it your not texting him right now like you've been doing EVERY day?" Alya asked, sitting down beside her on the bed. Almost immediately, a frown formed on her lips.

"He's with Chloe." Marinette muttered, reaching over for her phone that she had left on the headboard of her bed.

"Well he is friends with her too, isn't he?" Tiana asked, Marinette shrugging as she didn't want to think too much on it. She knew it wasn't fair to keep him all for herself deep down, but she still didn't want Chloe having him either. "You can't keep him to yourself, Mari." Tiana said flatly, grinning cheekily when Marinette stuck her tongue out at her for the nickname.

"He has been friends with her since they were kids, even though she's so obsessed about wanting him all for herself. Its his decision to keep putting up with her I guess." Alya too shrugged, pulling her own phone out of her pocket.

"He did yell at her back when she picked a fight with Tiana though, I thought he was done with her bullying." Marinette lamented, wishing Chloe wouldn't be a defining factor in their school lives anymore.

Or at least that she'd change finally after all these years. Why can't she just be nice for once?

"Adrien's capable of yelling at someone?" Tiana asked, smiling lazily at her at the notion. Honestly, it did surprise her too when she saw Adrien angry. It was such a rarity, she was used to him being a gentleman and sweet guy all the time.

"If you do something to his friends that he cares about, yeah." Alya said, eyes glued to her phone screen once more. Marinette chuckled quietly as Tiana cooed at how sweet Adrien could be.

For a moment, there was a flicker of doubt in her again as she didn't want to doubt that Tiana only viewed Adrien as a friend. But she squashed that doubt almost immediately.

She knew Tiana. Tiana has been open and straight forward about how she feels about anyone she's met. She doesn't like Adrien the way that she does.

Heck, Marinette felt bad at times as she saw the way Nathaniel held lingering looks on her. She wasn't sure, but she thought maybe he might be starting to view Tiana in a different way, and Tiana's bubbly outlook on life kept her from seeing it.

Though, with a glance at Tiana as she looked over Alyas shoulder at her best friends phone, she had to wonder. The different side that they all saw of Tiana that day at the end of class, that was so much different than what she could have expected. It is possible that Tiana knows Nathaniel might be starting to develop feelings for her, but is just keeping a mask up like she does when the topic of parents is mentioned.

They've known her for almost a month, but there was still so much to learn.

"So, why is it you toned down your punishment of Chloe?" Alya asked Tiana as her phone played the audio for whatever they were watching.

"I don't know what your talking about. I'm not punishing her. I just respond back when she takes a hit at any of you." Tiana pointed out, Marinette awwing before reaching over to try to hug the sweet still somewhat new girl.

"You're kinda scary in that you can go from super sweet, to evil depending on the situation." Alya teased, Tiana sticking her tongue out at her as Marinette laughed at her friends.

A beep from her phone dragged her attention away, however. Both her friends laughed at her the moment she dove for her phone to check if Adrien texted her back.

"Well, its back to Adrien now." Tiana teased next, Marinette too busy replying to Adrien to worry about sticking her tongue out at either her or Alya who was still laughing.

* * *

Adrien put his phone back in his pocket upon spying Chloe walking back to their table, clicking her polished nails on the table as she sat back down.

He didn't understand why it took her over fifteen minutes just to go "freshen up" in the bathroom as she had said.

"They still haven't come back with our drinks?" Chloe asked, frowning indignantly in the direction of one of the waiters.

"It's busy right now, Chloe. We're not the only ones here." Adrien reminded, Chloe still frowning before turning her eyes down to her phone.

Sighing, Adrien leaned back in his chair. Hopefully this wouldn't be all that she does while they're out together.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You were just texting someone before I came back." Chloe pointed out, looking up from her phone. As Adrien was about to reply, their waiter came back with their drinks.

Seeing the way Chloe scowled at the man as he turned away after getting their orders, he took a sip of his tea. "Chloe, why do you still treat people like this?" Adrien asked as Chloe turned her gaze once more to her phone.

"I treat everyone the way they deserve to be treated. I'm not being horrible as you called me." Chloe remarked, Adrien sighing as he knew without having to look in her eyes that she was hurt.

"I'm sorry for calling you horrible. You as a person aren't horrible, but you make others feel like they are at times, Chloe. It's not right." Adrien explained leaning over to put his hand over her screen in hopes of having eye contact while they talked.

"If your referring to the way I was talking to Tatiana, I haven't done anything to her since." Chloe reminded him, which wasn't a lie as she hadn't really had much interaction with Tiana since. What interaction she did have, however, was quite brief. At least Tiana didn't make it worse by doing anything, and just returned to her kindly ways.

"I'm not referring to Tiana, Chlo." Adrien advised as Chloe finally put her phone in her purse. "I know you have been doing this for years, but can't you treat everyone the way you want to be treated, instead of seeing everyone as beneath you? You used to be so nice to everyone when we were kids." Adrien reminded, Chloe looking away from him once more. Sighing, Adrien leaned back in his chair once again.

This was going nowhere.

"They all treat me like I'm some witch, it's only fair to treat them the same way." Chloe huffed, folding her arms defensively on the table.

"Not everyone treats you that way, just the people that you've made feel horrible before hand. Could you at least try to be nice again? If not for them, because I asked you to? I miss how you used to be when we were kids, I know this can't be the real you Chloe." Adrien reminded, watching the way Chloe's eyes softened even when she wasn't looking him in the eye.

There was no way that she could be as horrible as she treated their friends at times, Chloe was his friend. Is his friend. He had to believe that deep down this wasn't the way she wanted to be towards others, or be viewed by others.

Chloe was silent up until their waiter came back with their food. A small smile formed on his lips when she quietly thanked the man before he walked away. Well, that's a start.

They ate in relative silence up until Adrien felt his phone vibrate from his pocket, looking down at it briefly to see a reply from Marinette. "What's going on between you and this girl?" Chloe asked suddenly as Adrien looked back up, deciding to reply after they were done.

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked, genuinely confused on who she was referring to as he was friends with many girls.

"I know it can't possibly be Nino you've been replying to so quickly, so it has to be a girl. I was figuring it was either Tatiana, or Marinette." Chloe pulled a sneer at the mention of Marinette, Adrien frowning at her for a moment before she quickly masked her disdain over his friend.

"I'm not replying to her, I was just checking to see who texted me." Adrien corrected, as he poked at his pasta, Chloe still watching him closely.

"That didn't answer my question, just that it is one of them." Chloe pointed out before taking another bite of her salad.

"Nothings going on between me and either of them. They're my friends." Adrien reminded, purposefully not telling her it was Marinette because he knew how Chloe felt about Marinette. Hopefully one day she'd get over whatever reason she has for not liking Marinette and they could actually be friendlier to one another.

"You and I are friends, and you never reply back to me that fast." Chloe said with a flat look on him before taking another bite of her salad. "So obviously one of you hopes that it'll become more than friends." Chloe surmised, Adrien shaking his head at the notion.

This was Marinette. He liked her, yes, but as a friend. The only person he could ever actually see himself with was Ladybug, and that was still a work in progress as it was.

Besides, Marinette was so sweet and friendly, that would be odd to want to date someone so close to him.

"No, Chloe. We've just been talking more because she's been under a lot of stress recently, so I've been trying to help make sure she doesn't let it get to her." Adrien explained, their conversation being interrupted when the waiter came back with their check.

Paying the man and making sure to give him a nice tip, since Chloe glared at him most of the time, they started to prepare to leave.

As they walked out of the restaurant and Adrien waited with Chloe for her ride to arrive, Chloe once more brought them back to the topic of the girl he was texting.

"Whichever one of them it is your texting," Chloe began as Adrien looked at his phone to see the group text chat going off again. "I'm telling you, they're hoping it becomes something more." Chloe said, Adrien glad she didn't see when he rolled his eyes.

"Trust me, Chlo. It's just friends. But back to our earlier conversation." Adrien was silenced by Chloe holding a hand up in front of his face, glad she at least didn't poke him in the nose like Ladybug does.

"I'll try, I guess." Chloe muttered, looking away with a sullen look in her eyes as her driver pulled up to the curb. "Thank you, for at least coming out for dinner with me." Chloe thanked, Adrien grinning at her as that was definitely a start right there.

"I'm your friend too, Chloe. I know we haven't really been seeing eye to eye recently, but don't forget that you're still my friend." Adrien reminded, still smiling as Chloe dawned a small smile of her own at last.

With a honk from the impatient driver, she huffed. "I'll see you at school then." Chloe said, turning to go get in the car.

Before she got far, she turned around and grabbed him in a quick hug, startling him briefly as Chloe wasn't one for random bouts of affection. She usually did it to prove a point or gain something out of.

Without another word, she let go of him and turned around to go to the car. Just as she opened the door, she turned to look down the street.

"Well, there's your "friend" right now." Chloe muttered, getting in the car right after.

Huh? Glancing down the street where she was looking, he saw Tiana walking alone with her school bag slung over her shoulder.

What was she still doing out? He could have sworn hearing her say something along the lines of her parents didn't like her out alone after dark.

With one last glance at the retreating car that Chloe had gotten in to, Adrien started to head in the direction he had seen Tiana walking.

As he got closer, he noticed a pair of headphones over her head that had a pair of cat ears attached and lit up green. A grin almost immediately broke out on his lips, wondering for a moment if Tiana was a fan of Chat Noir like most of Paris was at this point.

Holding back a bit from her pace, he realized there was an extra hop in her step, figuring she was walking to the beat of whatever song she was listening to.

As she rounded a corner, she grabbed a light post to pivot off of and go the new direction, Adrien laughing a little at how she didn't even seen to notice the other people on the streets who would stare at her oddly. Or maybe she did notice, but just didn't care?

Regardless, he could only find himself continuing to follow curiously after her as she walked.

His curiosity diminished, however, when he noticed a few burly men walk out of a building and spot her and grin crookedly among themselves before following after Tiana.

Adrien didn't hesitate. Dropping back into an alleyway, Plagg popped out of his shirt.

"I'm sure she could handle herself, she does have that air about her." Plagg pointed out almost as soon as he was out.

"I don't care. Plagg, Claws Out!"

With a wail, Plagg was pulled into his ring as the green light enveloped him. Within seconds, he was ready and vaulting up to the roof above to get an aerial view on the situation.

They hadn't gotten far, maybe a block or two down the road when Chat spied the green light of Tiana's headphones. As she kept walking, he noticed at the end of the road was one of the larger properties he's seen in Paris. Was that where she was heading?

She glanced back when one of the burly men called at her, however. Chat held his staff tighter as he prepared to jump in at a seconds notice.

"Shouldn't be walking around after dark, sweetheart. You never know what kind of people could be out." One of the men called, Tiana pushing her headphones back to rest on her shoulders.

"That's exactly right. That's why I'm on my way home, _monsieur_. You three should think to do so as well." Tiana replied with a kind smile, but Chat could only stare at her in astonishment for the undertone of snip that he's learned to spot. Why would she say that to three men who could easily hurt her if they wanted to?

The men even laughed at her comment, but she just turned on her heel and kept walking, uninterested. The biggest guy of the three noticed first, following right after her once more.

"We can handle ourselves just fine, _chéri_. We'll be more than helpful and take you home, even." The man said, coming up beside her as his lackeys fell right in behind Tiana.

"No thank you." Tiana replied simply, Chat following them at a distance from behind after dropping down to the street. He had to bite his tongue to fight the noises of disbelief at how she talked to three obviously intimidating men to a young women like herself.

"Well think of it as happening anyways, it's not an offer." The biggest man replied back without a laugh at her response to their presence this time.

"Well, think of it as I am kindly refusing your determination to do so." Tiana said back with the same undertone of snip she had used before. The men must have noticed now, as they tensed while following after her.

"And what makes you think you can just refuse us?" The man asked threateningly, Chat striding up as the noticed the other two men grabbing for something on their belts.

"Because I'm not afraid of you." Tiana said simply, continuing to walk even as the men growled with annoyance at how she rebuffed them so easily.

Chat would be scoffing at her behavior as well, if not for the fact that he needed to protect her from these guys.

When one of them pulled a knife from his pocket, he didn't hesitate and quickly grabbed his wrist and twisted, forcing the weapon from the guys hand as he yowled in surprise. With a kick, the knife was sent skittering towards the gutter. Hopefully down the drain, as far as he cared.

Upon releasing the man's wrist, he stumbled back into his friend, their bigger friend rounding to spot him finally. "Gentlemen, the lady thanked you for your offer, but she won't be needing your escort tonight." Chat reminded them of his brave friends denial as he leaned on his baton, leveling a warning glare in his eyes but a cheeky smile over how he already disarmed one of them.

"This isn't your concern, Chat Noir. Go back to fighting the villains and leave us alone." The leader of the brutes snarled at him, Chat openly laughing at the remark.

"That's exactly what I'm doing right now." Chat pointed out, dodging to the side as one of them tried to swing a fat fist towards him. Grabbing his wrist, he flipped him over his shoulder. With a sickening smack, he hit the ground hard.

When another charged at him, he swung his staff at him. With an grunt as it caught him in the stomach, the man was sent backwards as he extended his staff, shoving him back into his bulkier friend.

Retracting his staff again, he dashed at them himself this time.

When the big man himself pulled out a large knife, he swung his staff at it and sent it flying wherever, pivoting and slamming his knee into the man's rib cage. Even being much bigger than him, the man stumbled and gasped at the hit.

The other two tried to grab for him, only for a loud bark to break the air. With a loud yell, one of them was dragged backwards.

Shifting his gaze quickly, he spotted Tiana's guard dog latching on to the man he had thrown. The dogs teeth were clamped down on the back of his thigh, dragging him down to the ground like he was a toy and holding firm. "GET IT OFF ME!"

"Well I did tell you I didn't need your assistance." Tiana remarked, standing a few feet back as Chat sent a kick to the big guys stomach when he tried to charge at Tiana.

With a loud yell and smack of flesh on flesh, he tumbled into the other man and they then fell atop their friend who was pinned by the dog.

Blinking, Chat grinned at the scene as the dog retreated to Tiana's side, still growling in warning at the three brutes that had threatened her. He hadn't even seen the dog when he first saw her walking, how could it just come out of nowhere when she's in danger?

"I think you've learned not to prey on innocent women now, gentlemen. Just remember next time you consider assaulting another lady of Paris that Ladybug and I are always watching." Chat reminded the men, before trotting after Tiana as he watched her continue walking away with her dog.

"Good job, King." Chat smiled a little wider as he heard the praise for the dog that she walked with, coming up to pace with her.

" _Mademoiselle_ , I'll be more than happy to escort you the rest of the way home so you won't have to worry about further dangers tonight." Chat offered, bowing to her as Tiana halted in her steps.

"No thank you, I'm fine." Tiana thanked, Chat blinking at the lack of hesitation she took to refuse him. She...was definitely something. He honestly had no words to describe his still somewhat new friend at the moment.

"Please, _ma chéri_ , humor me. I know your dog is more than capable of protecting you, but I'd feel much better seeing to your escort myself." Chat offered once more, grinning charmingly at her to see her eyeing him carefully.

Puffing his chest out, he extended a hand to her as he swelled with pride at knowing he finally drew her attention.

"Chat Noir, my lady. I've never seen your purretty face around our lovely city, allow me the honor of helping you home now." Chat purred, pressing a chaste kiss to the back of her hand as she shook his own, continuing to grin as she retracted her hand. That has to be the first time a girl, other maybe Chloe, has willingly allowed him to kiss her hand.

"I know who you are." Tiana replied with a shrug, continuing to walk with King. She didn't openly refuse him this time, so he followed along after her. Watching the dog to make sure it wouldn't attack him, he saw a hard glare on the animals face that nearly made him falter in his step.

"Ah, so my fame purrecedes me then. Are you one of my lovely fans?" Chat asked, moving to her other side so he could be further away from the guard dog.

"Well I wouldn't say that." Tiana mused, Chat's ears flattening against his head at how she was so open that she didn't even hesitate to jab his ego. "But, I do find kitties almost as adorable as my dogs." Tiana chirped, turning to him with a smile that made him swell once again with feeling.

He watched as she reached a hand up with no hesitation and ruffled his hair, fighting off a blush of embarrassment as not many civilians actually touched him. As she pulled her hand away from his head, she flicked the bell on his collar, the ring almost matching her giggle as she continued walking.

It took him a second to realize he had stopped walking at her touch, following after her once more as he found his curiosity rising ever higher for the girl. She was so much different than anyone else he has ever met...

Taking a second to clear his thoughts, Chat noticed they were coming up to a large estate. Come to think of it, they were on a side of town that he didn't frequent typically. Usually he came round here only while on patrol.

Well, he's learning more about her at least. Though, he can't really tell her as Adrien why he knows where she lives.

"So why were you out walking around in the night, my lady? I'd hope you know it's not safe for a lady like yourself to be out after dark alone." Chat said as the dog trotted off ahead of them and up to the estate, solidifying his guess that this was Tiana's home.

"Well I wasn't exactly alone, I had my guard dog nearby. He'll hopefully leave that man with a scar to remember why to not underestimate a women just because she seems defenseless." Tiana said with another cute giggle that, surprisingly, made him want to hear more of her laughter.

It also made him a little fearful, however. As he could only wonder if King was her only guard dog. Just from seeing the hostility in the dogs eyes though for those thugs though, he knew never to get on that dogs bad side.

"That's beside the point, _ma chér_. I won't deny, your dog is a fearsome foe for any man who dares to threaten you, but you shouldn't be out alone after dark like this." Chat reminded, as though she didn't know him as Chat, he knew her. He could only wonder how many people would want to do her harm just because of who her father was.

"You sound like my father." Tiana muttered quietly, probably hoping he wouldn't hear her. But he was a cat, after all. He had amazing hearing. Definitely proven by Rogue Wolf's weapon on him.

"Your parents care about your safety, mademoiselle. Next time you might not be so lucky as to have me here to help you." Chat said while propping his arms on his hips, flexing them slightly as Tiana looked at him incredulously.

"Are you just waiting for me to thank you for helping me, is that why you're lecturing me?" Tiana asked, smiling right back at him as he tried to hold back the want to mock her. He couldn't risk her putting two and two together.

"No, but that would be nice to hear from mew." Chat purred, leaning closer to her with a charming smile before realizing they had come to a stop in front of the large wrought iron gate that King had gone through minutes before.

"Well, furgive me for not thanking you then, Chat Noir." Tiana said back, and his grin only grew at how she returned a pun of her own to his. Who was this women? There was so much to her.

"Purrhaps, if you promise to be more careful." Chat offered, leaning a little closer to her as she giggled again. A warmth came over her as he only watched while she laughed. The way her nose would scrunch up cutely as she laughed at him.

"Sorry, but that I can't promise. I know you don't know me, but I'm known for getting myself into mischief. Just ask my grandfather." Tiana said with a lopsided smile, before it faded when there was a slam from inside the exterior wall of her estate.

"You were supposed to call for me to come pick you up, not walk home at night." Chat turned to see the bulky man that Tiana called her bodyguard stomping down the short distance between the gate and the mansion. Beside him, walking in a languid stroll was her grandfather.

"Beau, she's perfectly capable of defending herself. That's what King is for as well though. Also, this young man." Bastien waved a cane he had never seen him walk with before towards him, Chat about to make his retreat into the night but wanting to at least get a goodbye in before he does.

"Your daughter pays me to watch the girl, not sit and babysit some mutt." Beau retorted, showing no respect whatsoever for the man who could probably break even him. There was a reason that Chat had a healthy fear for his instructor, after all.

"Instead of arguing, can you just acknowledge that I'm home and I'm safe and leave it at that?" Tiana asked, shifting a tired gaze between her bodyguard and her grandfather that made him frown a little. Was this the kind of thing she had to deal with in her home life?

Beau opened his mouth to reply again, but he stepped in this time. "Please, sir. She's home safe and sound. Just be happy that she's home instead of yelling at her for wanting to walk home on a nice night like tonight." Chat defended Tiana, stepping between her and the large bodyguard.

Beau looked down at him incredulously for a moment, before huffing and going back up to the mansion.

Once the door slammed behind him, he looked to the happily smiling man that Tiana seemed to idolize. "Thank you, Chat Noir, for escorting my grand daughter home tonight. Not only that, but defending her against that...lovely man." Bastien waved his cane in the direction of the door with his sarcastic remark. Chat laughed at the sarcasm, used to Bastien being happy but serious most of the time.

He could only wonder how Bastien would feel if he knew just why he escorted Tiana home tonight.

"I'll be inside in a minute, Grand-père." Tiana assured her grandfather, who laughed before turning around and returning to the mansion himself. "Sorry for, that." Tiana waved a hand in the direction that the two men had retreated to. He could see a lot of her grandfather in her with how she talked with her hands like he did.

Laughing again, he turned his full attention to her once more. "They worry, it's fine. You're home safe, that's all I care about." Chat pointed out, bowing to her with a flourish. "At that, I should go so that you can go inside before the big burly one comes out again." Chat said with a nod of his head towards the door.

Tiana rolled her eyes at the comment, gracing him with another giggle that he started to feel bad for wanting to hear more of. As she laughed at him, he could almost see Ladybug and her rare laughter at his antics.

"Thank you, for walking me home, Chat Noir." Tiana thanked him finally for his assistance, and he bowed once more to her, not feeling he needed to remind that it was his job.

"Try to keep yourself out of trouble, Purrincess." Chat teased with a cheeky grin, leaning a little closer as he spotted the way her eyes lit up at the nickname. "I won't mind being your knight in shining armor, but I'd prefer you stay safe." Chat purred, taking a moment to take in the way her sky blue eyes glowed in the dim lights that lit the streets for them.

No, bad Chat.

Standing straight once again, he was about to make his leave when Tiana drew him in one last time.

"Sorry to disappoint, Chat Noir, but trouble follows me. Might have to keep an eye on me. _Bonne nuit_ , knight in kitty armor." Tiana chirped back to him, smiling one last time at him before heading through the wrought iron gates and up to the door.

Chat was still stood there long past the point where the gates slammed shut, only able to think about her words. The way that she could talk so easily and teasingly with someone whom, as far as she knew, she didn't know.

But not only that, he could only think about the way his pulse raced a little faster at her comment about needing to keep an eye on her. He had to shake his head to clear his thoughts, knowing he needed to get home before he de-transformed.

Vaulting home, a wave of guilt hit him as he thought about how he couldn't help his curiosity. He was in love with Ladybug, she deserved all his curiosity and attention.

But he couldn't help admit that Tiana was starting to make him think a little more on his relationship with his Lady.

* * *

 **There is the first encounter between Chat and Tiana not in costume then! I must admit, I really enjoyed this chapter. I'm my biggest critic about fight scenes, because it's harder to write. But the whole Chat and Tiana thing worked out better than I thought it was going to.**

 **Also the Adrien-Chloe scene. Wish I could go a little more in depth there, but I only have so much space in each chapter.**

 **Anyways, we're already on chapter ten! It feels like I only just started this story! I'm so happy to see how more people keep favoriting the story and the views keep going up and up. It makes it worth it knowing you guys are loving it as much as I am writing it.**

 **Btw, can I just mention that I really want those headphones? Almost a hundred dollars off Amazon, I know what I'm saving up for next. But anyways, I'm gonna get back to writing, so I'll see you all next chapter!**


	11. Cat Chasing Wolf

Tiana picked at her muffin idly as she continued reading the screen of her phone, swiping again to keep reading.

She knew that the likelihood of her encounter of being "rescued" by Chat Noir would probably find way to media quickly. But she didn't think it would be this fast. Hell, it only happened last night.

Some kid that ran an apposing blog to Alyas had gotten a shotty picture of Chat following her away from the thugs that had bothered her last night. In all honesty, she could have handled it herself. Verro went and got King to help, just to level the playing field instead of resorting to transforming.

That, and the taser that she had strapped to her waist that no one _ever_ noticed, she would have been just fine. She hadn't considered, however, that the heroes of Paris would be near.

It didn't bother her, though. In fact, she was elated. A chance to examine the famed hero without him knowing just who it was that he was walking beside, it almost made her want to howl.

Her cover was more than sealed with the kitty cat. She didn't even feel even slightly cautious about throwing his puns right back at him like she did while Rogue. She knew that the sweet little "purrincess" that people viewed her as when Tiana would never be considered to be someone who the heroes considered a villain.

Tiana swiped again when she sensed someone's presence behind her, focusing her senses to smell the expensive cologne she's come to associate with Adrien. Perks of being the Wolf Miraculous holder.

Not wanting to let her heightened senses be known, she just continued reading while waiting to see if he'd say something. Instead, Alya suddenly dove into the seat beside her with an excited look.

"Please tell me that what this rookie posted is true so that I can get the real scoop for my blog." Alya started, Tiana turning her screen off as Adrien finally made his presence to her known by sitting on her other side.

"You got yourself in a situation last night, huh?" Adrien asked, smiling teasingly at her before Alya shoved her phone in her face to show the article she had just been reading.

"So, tell me Tiana, what happened last night? Don't skimp on any details either. We can't have some half-assed article from a guy who doesn't even know how to take a proper picture, we need the real details." Alya said, tapping at her screen quickly in what Tiana assumed was her preparing to record their conversation.

"Shouldn't you be asking her if she's alright instead of getting straight to the interview?" Adrien asked, pushing Alyas phone away as she shoved it in her face again. Tiana could only chuckle quietly, having known the day would come when she'd witness Alyas reporter side but figuring it would be over an Akuma first, not her.

"She's fine. We're looking at her right now and she looks the same as always." Alya brushed Adrien's question off before putting her phone close to her face once again.

"Could we do this when we're not supposed to be starting class right now?" Tiana asked, pointing down towards the door where Miss. Bustier was entering seconds after Nathaniel.

The two left her table, Alya reluctantly, to go sit at their own as Miss. Bustier dug through papers on her desk.

"What was that about?" Nathaniel asked, pointing down to Alya who was now sat slouched in annoyance at her desk with Marinette.

"Alya wants to interview me on my encounter with the hero of Paris last night." Tiana said simply, grinning innocently when Nathaniel leveled a confused look on her as to what happened to her.

Honestly, she didn't see what the big deal was. Alya was partial towards Ladybug, after all. She didn't see why she was so interested that Chat Noir had come to her "aid" and walked her the last two blocks home.

As class droned on, Tiana vaguely became aware of eyes on her. Looking up, she noticed as Adrien quickly looked back towards the front and down at his notes.

Odd... What's he up to now?

Soon, it was time for one of her favorite classes again. She hardly waited for Nathaniel, dragging him half the way to the music room before he could catch his breath.

He wasn't too happy about it either, but she made up for it by offering to let him come check some of the artwork that hung in the estate. She knew his weaknesses by now.

Again, as they sat down at their desk Tiana spotted Adrien look at her oddly before cutting his gaze away abruptly. This time, even Nathaniel noticed. Turning to her, he held a confused look to match her own.

"I have no idea." Tiana said with a shrug, tapping away at the tablet they were provided with today to compose on.

"Maybe he's worried because of whatever happened to you last night?" Nathaniel offered as they worked on the sheet music, Tiana correcting some of the notes that Nathaniel was trying to put in.

"That's possible, but doubtful. Since when does he worry about me, he's busy with Marinette." Tiana remarked, before mentally kicking herself as she saw the way Nathaniel slouched at the mention of her friend. "Sor-"

"You have nothing to apologize for."

Nathaniel cut her off quickly, pulling away from their work on the tablet and instead looking down at his closed notebook.

Sighing, Tiana pulled the tablet closer to her. "You can draw, I can do this. Its just composition, I was doing this when I was five." Tiana pointed out, waving him off when he looked ready to question her. She didn't want to discuss her childhood right now.

Nathaniel hesitated to open his notebook, she noticed. Instead, he pulled the tablet back between them so he could see the screen, continuing to help her with a small smile.

Returning one, they continued on until their music sheet was full, Nathaniel getting up to hand the tablet back to their teacher.

As he was doing so, Tiana noticed that now Chloe was glancing at her every so often from her seat with Adrien, Adrien doing most of the tapping on the tablet.

Oh, what reason does she have to be glancing at her now? She can't possibly still be wanting her dog.

Nathaniel came back and sat down, opening his notebook to continue his drawing as Tiana tried to ignore the fact that two people who didn't usually glance at her during class were doing it too often.

Why is she overthinking this? It's probably because of the whole Chat Noir thing.

But then again, from the stories she's heard from Alya, almost all of them have had contact with the duo often over the years due to a lot of the student body being akumatized at one time or another.

A sharp kick in her side almost made her yelp, catching herself just in time. Verro shifted beneath her jacket once more, and Tiana wished there was a way to smack him without making people seeing her right then.

Granted, she knew he was doing it to distract her from her thoughts. But at the same time it was annoying as she wasn't trying to make loud noises or seem off to anyone around them.

Unfortunately, music soon came to an end. Tiana made her way back to normal classes with Nathaniel, smiling as she noticed his lack of enthusiasm for Chemistry which they would have next.

"Today we'll be learning about chemical reaction. Whomever can manage to impress me will be given extra credit." Ms. Mendeleiev announced, glaring in Nathaniel's direction before taking a seat once more at their desk.

"She really doesn't like that you're an artist, does she?" Tiana teased quietly, mixing two chemicals together in the beaker as Ms. Mendeleiev continued talking about the different chemicals they had at their disposal today.

"She hasn't liked me for three years, I'm glad that we only have her twice a week now." Nathaniel whispered back as they watched the teacher swat Chloe and Sabrina's desk when they tried to mix something.

"Do you want to poison us all, ladies?" Ms. Mendeleiev questioned angrily, taking one of the chemicals away from them as the rest of the class giggled quietly at the scene.

"How do you pass her class with an A?" Nathaniel asked her as she mixed another chemical, the beaker changing to a grayish color now.

"I'm talented when it comes to making things react." Tiana mused, smiling innocently at Nathaniel when he rolled his eyes at her choice of words.

"What is this your creating?" Ms. Mendeleiev questioned as she walked up the steps to their desk, eyeing Nathaniel warily as she handed him a vial to pour in to the beaker. "If you cause something to erupt, you will be cleaning the mess." Ms. Mendeleiev reminded with a glare.

Tiana smiled kindly up at their teacher before pouring the last vial into the beaker.

After a few seconds delay in which Ms. Mendeleiev looked ready to fail them for failing to produce anything, the liquid in the beaker changed to look like a neon rainbow before smoke began to pour from the top of the beaker to match the colors of the liquid within.

Their fellow students were murmuring in astonishment at the sight as Ms. Mendeleiev gaped at how they actually caused a reaction, before turning sharply on her heel and heading back down the steps to her desk. "I guess you'll be receiving your extra credit then, Tatiana and Nathaniel." Ms. Mendeleiev begrudgingly said once down at her desk once more.

Nathaniel's eyes lit up excitedly as they locked gazes, Tiana bumping her shoulder with his as their beaker continued its smoke bomb effect.

"How did you know how to do that?" Nathaniel asked, motioning towards the rainbow smoke that was covering their desk now as it poured from the beaker.

Tiana had to fight to hold back the evil smile that wanted to appear at the question. She couldn't exactly say that she knew how to do it because she made plenty of smoke bombs and flash bombs to use when Rogue Wolf.

Not to mention her various other inventions.

"I told you, I'm talented." Tiana said with a shrug, before setting forth to stop the beaker before Ms. Mendeleiev gets mad about it.

As they were bringing the vials up to Ms. Mendeleiev, she noticed once again Adrien's fleeting gaze on her.

Biting her tongue to prevent the want to question why people were watching her, she forced the usual smile as she went back to her desk.

Nathaniel must be learning not to fall for it, however, as he dawned a concerned look for her when she sat back down beside him. Fortunately, he didn't ask and instead opened a blank page on his notebook and began sketching once again.

Tiana kept a look out for Ms. Mendeleiev as he drew, while also catching up on work for other classes. Her increasingly busy schedule was starting to effect her school work.

Huh, maybe she can use that as an excuse to get Mother to stop making her come to the theater six days a week.

Once lunch break arrived, Tiana grabbed her stuff quickly to make her escape. She didn't feel like Alyas interview right now, she just wanted to go have lunch and relax. What with knowing people are interested in her just because of being close to a cat that she tormented in her alter ego, she wasn't too interested in staying around classmates for lunch.

Lucky enough to avoid being caught by Alya in her escape, Tiana had barely started down the steps when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Mind if I tag along?" Tiana closed her eyes, setting her jaw to fight off the want to say no.

"Sure you wanna, Agreste? I'm only heading home for break to eat, not to a little cafe." Tiana revealed, hoping that would ward him off as many people were intimidated by the estate she called home.

"I just wanted to make sure you're alright. You seem...irritated by something." Adrien commented as he stepped to her side, catching her eye as she threw the mask up once more to hide the irate wolf that she currently was.

"I'm fine, why would you assume that?" Tiana asked, starting to head down the steps since it was obvious the boy would follow her.

"Well, for one you were avoiding Alya. Who is still looking for you, by the way." Adrien pointed out, Tiana glancing back at the door to the building for half a second before starting to walk away faster.

"I'm not a fan of everyone having their eyes on me just because I was helped by one of the heroes of Paris." Tiana revealed as Adrien followed her, surprised he could keep up as she was a fast walker when out on the streets.

Then again, he keeps up just fine during practice. Guess its to be expected.

"You sound like you don't like Chat Noir that much." Adrien commented, Tiana relaxing a little more in her step as she noticed the hesitation in his voice. Great, she can't exactly have a clean conscience knowing she's making her friends uncomfortable.

"No, that's not it. I'm thankful for his help, I just don't like being thought of as a damsel in distress, which is probably what a lot of our classmates are thinking of me because of being rescued by him." Tiana remarked, holding back the eye roll at even the notion as she was the holder of the Wolf Miraculous.

"You're hardly a damsel in distress." Adrien commented, smiling at her now instead of being hesitant anymore. "You keep up with your grandfather like its nothing, I'm a little afraid to see what you could do outside of practice." Adrien said, earning an open laugh from her as he had no idea.

Tiana was skilled at defending herself and taking out any potential threats, but with Verro on her side she was a force to be reckoned with. With her will power and the extra strength and encouragement that Verro gives her, there was hardly a thing she couldn't do.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you, Agreste." Tiana mused, smiling innocently at him when he laughed mockingly at her.

"As if you even could." Adrien replied confidently, Tiana now laughing once again at that rarity as she was used to him being modest and kind. The pride was oddly funny but somehow adorable to see on someone who seemingly was an innocent little soul.

"Hey guys!"

Tiana slumped a little, Adrien casting her an apologetic smile as Alya and Marinette suddenly swooped in on them.

"We thought you two couldn't have gotten far. Let's go grab lunch at Marinette's and talk about last night!" Alya offered, not giving them much of a choice as she began steering them in the direction of the bakery.

Well, so much for avoiding the interviewing.

* * *

Rogue howled as she soared through the air, aiming for the Seine's again to see what fun could be had around there once again.

This was what she needed. A chance to get away and work out all the frustrations of her daytime life as Tiana.

As she was zipping through the city, she noticed two figures atop the Eiffel tower though, smirking deviously as she made to scale the back and eavesdrop.

There was so much fun to be had with Little Red and her little kitty cat. Especially when the big bag wolf that was her was around.

As Rogue began scaling the side of the tower, she could hear their voices getting louder, almost as though they were arguing. Ooh, trouble in paradise?

"...don't have time for this tonight, Chaton."

"...its important, my lady. At least to me!"

Rogue stopped just beneath the platform they were situated on, sitting on the cold metal to continue listening without them being aware she was there.

"We have more important things to worry about than your incessant flirting, Chat Noir. That thief is still out there, and common day thugs are getting braver. If you really feel the need to waste time trying to convince me to share my identity with you, go think on it while on patrol." Ladybug lectured her partner, Rogue wishing she had a camera angle so she could watch the debate go down.

"I'm not incessantly flirting, Ladybug. I told you, I was helping that civilian, not flirting with her. Why can't you just for once trust me?" Chat Noir replied in a snarky tone that almost had her laughing.

"I do trust you, Chat. But when it comes to women, you get distracted too easily. I need to know that you prioritize the job with me, but you're just wanting to share our identities now a days." Ladybug replied, less irate than before but still lecturing.

"You really don't see that you're the only lady I want to see, huh?" Chat Noir questioned back, quieter than before. Rogue could almost see the pulled back ears and sad little look on his face. Her heard almost twitched for him.

Almost.

"There's the flirting again." Ladybug responded with a sigh, before beeping interrupted their conversation. "I'm almost out of time, I have to go. We'll discuss this another night, Chat. _Bonne Nuit_." Ladybug said, before she heard a zipping sound and assumed she swung away with her yo-yo.

Well THAT was harsh...

Rogue heard a growl from above her, before spying a pair of legs dangle over the edge of the platform. Slowly, she began climbing again.

Upon reaching the balcony, she spied the feline hero sitting on the edge with his face in his hands.

Creeping slowly up behind him on all fours, she stealthily snatched his staff from his back and placed it elsewhere, just to make sure he couldn't call Little Red back right away upon seeing she was there.

As she placed it a few feet back on the balcony, one of her claws on her boots clicked on it and Chat's ears twitched in her direction.

His gaze flicked to her seconds later, the usual charm and happiness she had grown accustomed to seeing on the heroes face replaced with exasperation as he dragged his legs back up.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you tonight, Wolf. Give me my staff, now." Chat snapped, holding a hand in the direction of the metal baton.

"Aww, no smile for the thief that peaks your curiosity?" Rogue teased, smiling sweetly at him. Upon there being no change in his demeanor in even the slightest, she scoffed and bent down to grab the staff.

Snatching it in her teeth like she did many things while on all fours, she splayed out on the floor of the balcony and folded her arms behind her head.

"If you want it, you can come get it." Rogue replied, letting the staff drop to her neck as she flashed her teeth at the sour pus that looked ready to throw her off the balcony if she kept up.

Chat growled before standing up, starting to walk her way. As he bent down to steal his staff back, she rolled over, hiding it beneath her frame with an innocent smirk.

"Agh, why do you have to pick the worst night to be around?" Chat snapped, surprising her as he easily pushed her aside and snatched the metal back. She expected him to flip the top up to call his partner, but he only put it back on his back where it belonged.

"Well that's mean. You know, I'm not the one who yelled at you for being a flirt." Rogue reminded, realizing a second to late that her remark may have been too much.

Faster than she's seen him move up until that point, she was pinned against the ground, Chat Noir holding both of her wrists above her head as those sharp narrowed green eyes glared down at her.

Surprisingly, even through their spandex suits, she could just feel the heat and frustration pouring off him. Breaking their gaze and glancing down, she spotted the way his tail was swishing angrily behind him, like a real cat's would if angry.

"So I'm adding eavesdropping to the list of reasons why you belong in a cold jail cell now then, huh?" Chat asked through his teeth, Rogue almost feeling a little intimidated by the angry kitty above her.

If not for the fact that this was all just about some women not caring about his feelings.

"Well eavesdropping is hardly a crime if I'm just in the same place as you at the same time." Rogue remarked, unable to help the sass and cheeky grin. Unlike during the day when she's Tiana, Rogue at night could hardly contain the sass and deviousness.

The nip of Chat's claws on her wrist reminded her that he still very much had more of a grip on the situation than she did.

"Oh please, you're just misdirecting your frustration for your lady on me because you feel unable to show her how you really feel." Rogue snipped, sending him a flat look as he continued to glare at her like she was a bad dog. "Instead of pinning me down like you're going to ravish me, why not actually tell her she's pissed you off, _Chaton_." Rogue offered, not flinching when he growled at her for using the nickname Ladybug called him against him.

"Do you not know how to stop talking?" Chat asked instead of responding to any of what she had said.

"Nope." Rogue replied honestly, popping the end of the word off her tongue with another cheeky grin up at him as he used his free hand to shove her goggles off her eyes at last.

As he did so, she managed to free her tail and steal the staff he had off his back once more. Silly kitty, thinking that she only worked with her hands.

As gold met green without the veil of black lenses blocking them, Chat went to reach for his staff again.

"Sorry, but you'll find that I took it once more." Rogue mused, Chat loosening his grip slightly to look behind him. That slight bit was all she needed.

Forcing her hands forward, she threw him off balance and changed the position. Now, she pinned his own wrists above his head as her tail held down his own, his staff forgotten a few feet away now.

Chat tried to struggle for about a minute, before resorting to glaring at her with those dilated angry cat eyes.

"So what have we learned about me tonight?" Rogue teased, holding his wrists with one hand and shoving her goggles higher up on her head with the other.

"That you're more annoying than I realized." Chat snipped back, Rogue tutting at him for the rudeness.

"Oh come now, just because the women you love won't give you the time of day that means you have to abandon your gentlemen ways and adopt rudeness? That hardly seems right." Rogue mused, holding tighter when he tried to struggle against her once again.

After another minute, he went limp against her once more, closing his eyes.

Pursing her lips, Rogue let go of his wrists. His eyes flicked open almost immediately.

Tracing her claws down his toned arms, she came to a stop as she neared his cat ears.

"Rudeness and willingness to give up is hardly becoming of you, Chat Noir." Rogue pointed out, dragging a claw through his hair and smirking as his eyes fluttered shut once again, his body tensing beneath her.

Rolling off of the hero, she laid on her back beside him and looked up at the sky.

"Purrhaps, instead of letting Little Red get to you, show her that you are the bigger person. Don't give her the satisfaction of knowing she has "won". It's hardly fun being around you when you're a sulking boy instead of the suave man you attempt to act to be." Rogue said as Chat Noir sat up beside her, looking down at her like she was insane.

"Why are you trying to make me feel better?" Chat questioned incredulously, earning an eye roll for his blindness.

"I just said you're hardly fun when sulking." Rogue reminded, rolling onto her stomach to prop herself up on to all fours.

"What, your only interest was to try to cheer me up instead of steal something again?" Chat asked as she trotted over and kicked his staff back towards him.

"I'm not always stealing things, you know. I have other things to do." Rogue pointed out, walking over towards the edge of the balcony before glancing back at the cat still sitting where she left him, staff up against his leg.

"I don't trust you." Chat remarked, Rogue rolling her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't expect you to. I am, after all, the big bad wolf that the love of your life wants to cage." Rogue replied with a shrug, smirking when Chat glared at her for the love of his life comment.

"Stop referring to her like that." Chat growled, standing up finally and grabbing his staff, returning it to his back.

"Why? You love her, I don't see whats wrong with me referring to her as your love." Rogue mused, turning her gaze from him and to the city below as she sat on the edge of the balcony.

She partly expected Chat Noir to leave, but instead he took a seat beside her with a huff.

"Can you just go away already?" Chat asked, looking down at the city below as well.

"You just took a seat beside me and you're asking me to go away?" Rogue asked, slightly amused by his logic when sulking like he was.

"I was here before you though." Chat argued as Rogue noticed the way his ears were flat against his head and his tail curled against his body limply.

Rogue frowned, unable to deny how pitiful he looked when hurt by the women he seemingly cared about most in the world.

When Chat went to cast her another glare, she jumped up. "Well, as much fun as it is sitting here with you while you sulk, I'm going to go find something to steal." Rogue mused, smirking cheekily down at the cat as he gaped up at her for her openness.

"You're confessing that you're about to go rob somewhere?" Chat questioned, obviously disbelieving that she would actually admit to it.

"Yep, and since you're too down in the dumps about your Lady, it'll be even easier." Rogue teased before leaping from the balcony, zip lines shooting from her belt and pulling her away faster.

Faintly, she heard Chat Noir yell after her.

Good, maybe the distraction will make him forget to sulk and mope around.

Rogue soared towards the Louvre once again, landing on the roof and looking around for sign of the cat.

Looking back towards the Eiffel Tower, she spied him vaulting in her direction.

Good, chasing her like she's a laser light. Typical cat.

"Rogue Wolf, I'm giving you one chance to cease what you're about to do." Chat Noir offered as he reached the pyramid that she was perched on.

Laughing openly, she kept up the facade that she was actually trying to steal something.

"You'll have to work a little harder if you want to stop me, kitty cat." Rogue called back down to him, smiling deviously at him as she noticed the way his gloom had disappeared a little.

Chat blinked up at her for a moment, mouth agape slightly, before smirking cheekily right back at her. There's that cheeky cat smile.

"I stopped you once, I can stop you again, wolfie." Chat said, before charging at her.

With a howling laugh, Rogue took off once again, letting the cat chase the wolf for once.

The chase lasted long in to the night, but it was surprisingly more fun than she really thought it would be.

* * *

 **Poor kitty cat, overlooked once again by his Ladybug. But what's this? Rogue Wolf didn't try to do any wrong this time? Well, unless you count the unneeded teasing. But I mean, she can't really help herself with the smart mouthed responses. I wonder where this can lead.**

 **Before I finish this chapter up, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who's read so far!** **We're only on chapter 11, but already we've surpassed 1500 reads to go with the favorites and alerts! It especially makes me happy to see the reviews that I've been getting, thank you Clarisa and Guest for reviewing on last chapter. I was excited to post that one so I'm happy you both enjoyed it.** **There's still plenty more to come, I'm only just getting started!**

 **By the way, I loved the point of dogs do love chasing cats. I had already written this chapter days before that, and I was just having a laughing fit because I knew this chapter was both exactly that and the opposite. I mean, this time the cats chasing the wolf! XD Don't worry Guest, there will be more Chloe and Adrien moments, it's not Miraculous without Chloe!**

 **I apologize if Chat seemed a little OOC this chapter, I mean you'd assume after three years of being overlooked and ignored for how you feel, you'd start to get a little ways past frustrated and loose your usual happiness. Don't worry, happy cocky kitty always returns! But that's for the next chapter, so I'll see you all then!**


	12. Dark Gem

Adrien leaned heavily on Tiana as they sat on the steps, waiting for the Gorilla to come pick him up. He was exhausted, even more so now after practice.

"You know, there's this wonderful activity people do at night call sleep. I think you should try it." Tiana teased and at her comment he pulled away from her.

"Your hilarious." Adrien replied flatly, too tired to play along. Mr. Roux wasn't particularly happy with him for his lack of energy during practice, and he still kept thinking of his argument with Ladybug last night so his mood would sour momentarily.

It would sour until he thought of the encounter he had with Rogue Wolf, that is.

He was still genuinely confused as to what had happened. Yes, she was a thief and technically a villain because of being so, but for whatever reason she actually tried to cheer him up last night.

He spent nearly two hours chasing her after she claimed she was going to go rob somewhere, but she never once made any attempt to break into any building. Only waited for him to catch back up to her and then ran off in a different direction.

Adrien knew it was meant as a distraction, but he wasn't quiet sure if the distraction was for her gain or his own. Which left him confused most well after he had gotten home and never went to sleep.

He should probably start taking sleep aids, Father would notice soon when he got back and started having him get back to work if he had bags under his eyes.

"What's wrong, rough night?" Tiana asked, pulling him back out of his thoughts as she this time stretched her legs out over his lap, smiling innocently at him.

Leaning back on the steps, he just let her do her. It didn't bother him one bit.

"No, I just couldn't sleep." Adrien said, before rubbing a hand over his face in hopes to wipe away how exhausted he truly felt.

Tiana just stared him down for a moment, long enough for him to raise a curious eyebrow at her, before she at last spoke. "You're a terrible liar, _mon amie_." Tiana said simply as she pulled her legs away from him and leaned back to mimic his own posture.

"I'm not lying." Adrien tried again, but she just waved off his words.

"You can't lie to someone who's literally a lie detector, Agreste." Tiana threw his name in at the last second with a sly smirk, leaning her head on his shoulder in a way that made her look a little more devious.

"I'm sure you can." Adrien mused sarcastically. In response to his sarcasm, he got a swat on the arm, feigning it hurt a lot when in reality it was nothing.

"Aww, poor baby." Tiana mocked him, pulling away when Mr. Roux walked out of the front doors.

With a quick goodbye, Tiana followed after her grandfather, leaving him to himself once more.

Sighing, Adrien sank a little further on to the steps.

A beep from his pocket kept his thoughts away from last night, pulling out his phone to see a text from the girl you just left.

" _Get some actual sleep tonight, you'll feel and look better – Tiana_ "

Adrien couldn't help but smile at his friends text, just staring at the screen for a second until a honk interrupted him.

Pocketing his phone once more, he got up and walked down to the limo and hopped in. The Gorilla hardly said a word before starting to drive again.

After a silent ride for a few minutes, his phone beeped from his pocket again. Pulling it out, he noticed that this time it was Marinette.

Smiling, he opened the message to see a picture of the dress she's been working so hard on.

It looks fantastic! Almost like Father was the designer!

" _It looks amazing, Mari. I cant wait to see it in person – Adrien_ "

Come to think of it, Father will be getting back from his business trip soon. Maybe if he's in need of some extra help, he could put in a good word for Marinette. He has been busier than usual lately, he could likely use the help.

Lord knows he's not the most fashionably inclined, even after all his years of modeling. He can wear the clothes just fine, but thinking up ideas for new clothes, yeah never happening.

Marinette replied to him quickly, and he couldn't help but grin upon seeing her inviting him to come over and have a look for himself. Anywhere was better than going home to a quiet, cold building that he was supposed to call home.

As they stopped at a red light, Adrien pulled back the divider between him and the Gorilla. "Change of plans, can you take me to Marinette's instead for a little while?" Adrien asked, only receiving a grunt in response before they changed their direction.

Even with how exhausted he felt earlier, he was starting to feel a bit lighter just at the idea of being able to hang out with his friends and relax a little. It's far better than being alone to think about last night.

* * *

Chat yawned again, rubbing at his eyes tiredly as he perched on a lamp post.

He wanted to go home and get some sleep, but Ladybug never showed for her patrol. He could only assume she was still annoyed about last night, if something was wrong he would have heard.

"Oh look, it's the kitty cat!"

Chat whipped his head around to see Rogue Wolf on the roof behind him, poised on all four with her goggles down.

Sighing, Chat jumped over to the roof with ease. "Can you not try stealing something tonight? I really don't feel like chasing you for two hours again." Chat muttered, covering his mouth with the back of his hand when he went to yawn again.

"Aww, I can't even steal your attention for a little while? That's all I stole last night, after all." Rogue mused, smirking cheekily at him as he felt his face warm at her open flirting.

Another yawn escaped him though, covering his mouth quickly.

"Poor kitty, didn't catch a wink of sleep last night?" Rogue asked, circling him like he was her prey. In her eyes, he probably was. But that didn't make it true.

"I slept just fine." Chat lied, trying to step away from her so there was at least a healthy distance between them. He didn't trust her not to try to steal his staff again.

"Hero's are horrid at lying, you know. You may be wearing a mask that hides the bags under your eyes, but the yawning and slouched posture hide nothing." Rogue pointed out, Chat glaring weakly at her for her perceptiveness before walking over to the roof's chimney and sitting down beside it.

"I'm not getting you to leave me alone, am I?" Chat asked as he tried to forget about her act of distraction last night to try to help him. He didn't want to think that there could actually be a good side to her. She was the villain, right?

"Well aren't you rude to the person that gave you a distraction from the bad of last night." Rogue commented as she stopped a few feet away from him, thankfully.

"You're part of the bad from last night." Chat reminded, rubbing tiredly at his eyes again.

"Only because your little Red unjustly hates me. I say its jealousy." Rogue shrugged at the notion as Chat wished to whomever was listening to find something to get her to leave him alone so he could go home and sleep.

"You stole from our city, it's not unjust to be mad at you." Chat corrected her, watching as she rolled those glowing golden eyes at him before folding her arms over her chest.

"You know, you were more fun before you let her hurt you." Rogue commented, completely unfazed when he glared at her for the mention of Ladybug hurting him by not taking his love for her seriously. "For a little bit last night, you were able to forget because I let you chase me. But I see you're too tired for that tonight." Rogue said as she started walking over to where he sat.

"Let me? You were trying to steal something else." Chat corrected her once again as she had openly admitted that was what she was trying to do.

"Was I? Did I ever say what I was trying to steal?" Rogue asked, sitting on the edge of the chimney next to him as he tiredly looked up at you. "Technically, I succeeded. Not that you know." Rogue shrugged again, reaching down and ruffling his hair.

A growl had began bubbling within his chest, but it faded as her claws combed through his wild hair soothingly. Resting his head against the bricks of the chimney, his eyes slid shut at the feel of her claws threading through his hair.

"I'm curious, as a cat hero, do you purr?" Rogue asked in a teasing tone, but he didn't bother glaring at her as he could feel all the exhaustion of the day catching up to him just from her surprisingly gentle petting on his head.

A loud beep from his back jarred him from the comfort though, reaching back and grabbing his staff to see he was receiving a call from his lady.

The stroke of claws through his hair stopped abruptly, and with a glance to his side he saw the blur of black and white that was Rogue fleeing from the rooftop.

Blinking after her, Chat accepted the call out of habit. He shrunk a little more in to himself as Ladybug's face appeared on the screen, but kept up the happy facade she's come to know him with as he looked down at her.

"My lady, I thought you were busy tonight. I took your pawtrol over for you." Chat revealed while smiling softly down at her image on the screen.

Ladybug glared at him for half a second before her bluebell gaze on him softened. "Chat, you look exhausted." Ladybug pointed out to him, Chat trying to blink the exhaustion out of his eyes to no use as he yawned once again.

"I'm fine, I'm just a little tired. I'm fine to take tonight's patrol, Ladybug." Chat did his best to assure her, but she didn't look very convinced by his assurance.

"Just stay where you are. I'll be there soon to relieve you of your patrol so you can go home and get some rest." Ladybug said after sighing. Just as he went to open his mouth to tell her she really didn't need to though, she ended the video call.

Sighing, Chat leaned back against the brick of the chimney again, closing his eyes to try to contain his feelings.

He really wanted to see her, yes. But at the same time it still hurt how easily she rebuffed how he feels for her.

Chat thought they were getting closer. He thought that he could finally tell her how he feels, and she would hopefully feel the same for him finally after all these years.

But instead she chalks it up to him being an incessant flirt? But not only to her, but to many women? He has only had eyes for her!

Chat wanted to curl into himself in hopes to forget the pain, but a hand on his shoulder forced his eyes open. Ladybug was knelt in front of him with a worried look in her eyes for him.

"I think you need to get home and get some rest, Chaton." Ladybug offered him a chance to escape from any further risk of her squeezing his heart like a toy, but he couldn't find the will to get up and escape. Instead, he just smiled softly at her.

"I'm fine, bugaboo." Chat assured, looking away from her briefly only for her hand to pat his shoulder and pull his attention once more.

With no other words, she moved beside him and sat down with him. He could just feel the erratic thump of his heart against his rib cage as the tense silence stretched.

"I'm sorry about-"

"It's fine. You were just being honest."

Chat looked away from her and to the Eiffel Tower in the distance where the argument had gone down upon.

"It wasn't right of me to say that. I let me irritation with that wolf get to me and I took my irritation out on you. I'm sorry, Chat Noir." Ladybug apologized sincerely to him as he wondered if there was even the slightest chance that he could have her heart like she owns his own.

Noticing the way her bluebell eyes narrowed at even the mention of Rogue Wolf, he couldn't help but frown. It reminded him that the women she hated had tried to calm him down after the argument. Technically, she did calm him for a little as he had to chase her to keep her from stealing anything.

You ask her, she believes she did steal something.

But even knowing she did technically help him when she was supposed to be their enemy, he felt the guilt gnawing at his stomach over being around her instead of chasing after his lady to try to fix their argument.

"You really look exhausted, Chat." Ladybug remarked again as he covered his mouth to mask the yawn again. "Don't try to tell me you're not either, you only ever slouch when tired or hurt." Ladybug pointed out, and Chat felt his heart beat a little harder at how she noticed something so small like that about his mannerisms.

Technically speaking, both of those things were true. Just he wasn't physically hurt, but emotionally.

"I thought you were too busy to do your patrol tonight, my lady. I was going to go home, but I took it over for you so you could get some rest and relaxation." Chat explained as he leaned his head back against the bricks once more.

Ladybug's gaze softened a little more on him, and he once again felt his heart flutter at that look in her eye. "You really are a hero, Chat. Even after how I treated you last night, you still go out of your way to help me." Ladybug said softly, her words luring him in with how soothing her voice sounded to him right then. All he wanted to do was curl up beside her and enjoy her comfort while he fell asleep.

"You're still my partner, bugaboo. I'd do anything for you." Chat reminded with a grin that he hoped didn't show just how tired he was.

Ladybug smiled at him again before surprising him once again. Reaching over, she ruffled his hair kindly. Much like how Rogue had done previously, only this time he could feel his heart racing faster instead of sleep tugging at it.

Chat couldn't help but lean into her, hoping she wouldn't try to push him away as he enjoyed the comfort of her gloved fingers combing through his hair like he was a real cat.

"You really are a cat." Ladybug mused with a giggle that forced him to smile a little easier than he has been since last night. "Go home, Chat. Go get some sleep." Ladybug tried to convince him, but as long as she kept stroking his hair he would be going nowhere.

"Aww come on, bugaboo. I'm comfy." Chat whined, leaning a little closer when she went to stop combing his hair.

Suddenly, he was yanked forward with a yelp. Before really knowing what was going on, he was laying on his back with his head lain across her legs as she combed her fingers through his hair.

A furious blush rose at his ladies actions. She's always kept him at bay, but now she was letting him get closer than he's ever been?

Chat felt like he was floating as he looked up at her gaze that was instead situated on the city around them. All he wanted to do right now was tell her how much she really meant to him. How much he really, truly loved her and wanted to stay by her side for the rest of his days.

How much he wanted to lean up and ensnare her in his arms before finally, FINALLY, he kissed her like he's been wanting to do for so long.

Instead, all he could do was lay there and look up at her as her fingers combed through his wild hair and lured him in further to the snare that was his love for her.

Chat could feel himself starting to fall asleep in her lap, his body more relaxed than it's been in years now that he was finally so close to her.

But before he could do so, Ladybug's sweet voice pulled him back from doing so. "You fall asleep on me, you'll de-transform. Go home, Chat." Ladybug encouraged him, stopping her soothing ministration of stroking his hair.

With a groan, he opened his eyes to look up at her and see an amused smile cast down at him. Another light blush overtook his face, before reluctantly he sat up.

"Are you just trying to get rid of me, bugaboo?" Chat asked teasingly, ruffling his hair to get it back to the wild look it had been at before Ladybug combed through it.

"Not this time." Ladybug actually played along and he couldn't help but grin at her. "But you can't risk revealing yourself. Go get some sleep. I can handle the rest of the patrol." Ladybug assured him as she stood up, offering a hand to him to help him stand as well.

Unable to resist being allowed to touch her again, he took her hand. Once on his feet, he went to press a kiss to her hand, only for her to pull away like she always has.

A whine left his throat before he even noticed, biting his tongue to try to silence the embarrassing reaction as he noticed his lady roll her eyes at him.

As Ladybug opened her mouth to say something to him, a loud ringing from somewhere in the city distracted them.

"That's an alarm!" Ladybug alerted, throwing her yo-yo quickly before zipping away.

Well, forget going home and getting some sleep.

Chat vaulted after her until they came upon the smashed window that was a jewelry store.

"That wolf." Ladybug growled, but looking around he could see no sign of Rogue Wolf anywhere.

Usually she was more than happy to flaunt her misdeeds, so why the sudden hit and run?

"Sadly, this was not my intention." Chat jumped forward and whirled around to see Rogue Wolf sprawled against the bricks of the building across the street, rolling over until she was on all fours.

"Return what you stole this time." Ladybug snapped at the thief as she shook her head, pulling her goggles down over her eyes.

"It's not me you need to be worrying about, little Red." Rogue revealed, before suddenly the window behind them shattered further as someone came through.

Well, the break from Hawk Moth was nice while it lasted.

"I am Dark Gem. You supposed heroes allowed this mutt to steal my precious jewelry, now I will steal yours!" Chat turned to the further shattered window to see a man dressed in black with varying colored gems adorning his mask and chest. Over his right eye laid a golden monocle that he glared at them through.

"Now you've helped Hawk Moth akumatize someone?" Ladybug snarled at Rogue as the Wolf padded off on all fours.

Maybe there really was no nice side to her...

Chat yanked Ladybug back as a dark beam shot towards her. As it shot past and hit a light post, the post turned to a green stone.

"Give me your Miraculous's, or I shall turn you both in to jewels to make up for what you let be stolen." Dark Gem ordered them, aiming a jewel encrusted telescope at them.

"That tool must be where the akuma is." Chat revealed, letting go of Ladybug at last but only to dodge as the villain aimed another shot his way.

"How can you be sure? It might be the monocle." Ladybug pointed out, Chat spinning his staff quickly in front of them to protect them from another beam.

With a growl, Dark Gem aimed his telescope elsewhere. This time, a beam of light shot out as he shot it at another lamp post.

With a blast of light, it was no longer a lamp post but instead a little white gem creature that resembled Dark Gem a little.

Well that's bad...

Dark Gem laughed as he shot at more objects, Ladybug dashing towards him to try to disarm him only for one of his creations to smash into her.

Chat charged at the gem soldier, swinging his baton at it only for it to bounce back at him. As soon as he realized that his staff wouldn't do much damage to the gem soldiers, it punched him in the chest and knocked him backwards.

Ladybug landed next to him a second later as she too was knocked flying by the gem soldiers.

"Either you give me your Miraculous's now, or I'll turn all of Paris in to my new jewels to make up for what you helped steal." Dark Gem warned as Chat jumped back up and helped Ladybug back up.

"We didn't steal your jewels, we're trying to get them back from Rogue Wolf." Ladybug corrected him, spinning her yo-yo at him to try to knock the telescope out of his hands.

With a maniacal laugh, the moment her yo-yo wrapped around his telescope he yanked her towards him.

Chat charged at them, shoving Ladybug aside as Dark Gem tried to zap her with his beam.

"Fine, make it hard on Paris then." Dark Gem snarled at them, before swinging the telescope towards Chat. With a roll to the side, he dodged easily, but the gem soldiers blocked his path now from continuing to engage Dark Gem.

"Chat, get the telescope!" Ladybug yelled from the other side of the street, before with a flurry of flashes Dark Gem turned more objects into gem soldiers before running off with a cackle.

"On it!" Chat said before vaulting over one of the gem soldiers, extending his staff before he could hit the ground and flinging himself after the villain.

But as he got a few streets down, he noticed a few stray civilians that hadn't yet made it home. Unfortunately, Dark Gem did as well.

Chat flew at the first person Dark Gem saw, tackling them to the side just in time to avoid the dark beam before it could strike them.

"Get somewhere safe." Chat repeated the same thing they've been saying to civilians for the last three years that this has been happening.

Dark Gem seemed unimpressed by him saving the civilian though, rushing off further down the street as he once more began chasing after him.

As Dark Gem ran, he continued turning more objects into his gem army, Chat needing to leap over and dash around some of them as he continued chasing down the jeweled man.

There were the unfortunate few who didn't run in time and were grabbed at by the gem army, Chat doing his best to help them but trying not to let the villain get too far ahead. It's been a while since they've had to deal with an akuma at night...

After a while of chasing Dark Gem, they came to a stop at a park where he proceeded to turn a statue into a larger soldier. Cringing as he could already see this turning more painful, Chat charged at Dark Gem to try to disarm him of the telescope.

Only for the large gem soldier to slam its fist into his side and send him flying, smashing through a park bench painfully before skidding across the ground.

Groaning, Chat tried to regain his bearings as Dark Gem laughed raucously at his pain, sitting up to see him standing in front of the large soldier. "Make it easy for yourself, Chat Noir. Hand over the Miraculous, and I'll consider not turning you into a gem to replace the ones you let be stolen." Dark Gem offered with a cruel smirk at him as he jumped to his feet once again.

Chat couldn't help but laugh at the offer. "Even if I did do as you asked, you'd still zap me. Don't bother lying." Chat replied with a smirk at the man that wiped away the glee he held previously for his pain from the gem soldier.

A purple light faded in over the villains eyes, the sign that Hawk Moth was talking to his victim. With a growl, Dark Gem aimed his telescope at him once again.

Spinning his staff quickly, he blocked the dark beam as it shot to him, rushing forward and swinging at the bejeweled man.

Dark Gem dodged to the side, trying to let his gem soldier take over the fight. But Chat followed his step, swiping a foot out and clipping the man's own and knocking him to the ground.

The telescope went skittering across the ground, and Chat ran for it.

Just as his claws were nearing the object though, something grabbed him by the tail. With a yell, he was sent flying once again by the gem soldier.

With a loud smack, he flew in to Ladybug who had finally showed back up.

"Sorry, my lady." Chat muttered quickly, jumping back up and helping her up to see that Dark Gem had retrieved his telescope.

"Fine, since you want it the hard way, this is on you then." Dark Gem snapped angrily as Chat realized his gem army was starting to close in on the area.

Pushed through the army though was an unfortunate child that must have been caught out by the villains minions.

"She'll be a decent replacement for one of the jewels you let be stolen!"

Chat's eyes widened as Dark Gem shot a beam towards the child. Running forward with Ladybug, he realized that they might not reach the child in time.

Suddenly, a howl pierced the air and with a flash, the child was pulled out of range of the dark beam.

"You know, your attitude is exactly why I took those gems. What kind of person endangers an innocent child?"

Chat looked up to see Rogue perched on a roof across the park, the child clinging to her side for dear life as Rogue held her close with one hand.

"You! You'll give me back my jewels!" Dark Gem yelled back at her, forgetting about him and Ladybug for the moment as his rage for Rogue was obviously bigger than the rage he felt for them.

"They weren't your jewels to begin with. But I think they're a decent payment for your horrendous acts tonight." Rogue remarked with that teasing smirk he's starting to think is permanently a part of her.

With a yell from Dark Gem, and a howl from Rogue, she bounded away with the child in tow.

"Go get that damn dog!" Dark Gem roared at his army.

Ladybug exchanged a glance with him, before activating her ability as he charged Dark Gem once more.

"Lucky Charm!"

With Dark Gem on him once again, Ladybug flashed a flash light at the big gem, the bright flash shooting from it enough to blind the villain as Chat covered his eyes.

After the light was gone, he smiled as he saw Ladybug had smashed the man's monocle, purifying the little akuma before it could get too far. After the rush of ladybugs subsided, they were left with a dazed jewelry store owner.

"I'll handle him, Chat Noir. Go help that child." Ladybug said, reminding him that Rogue had ran off with the child.

"On it, bugaboo." Chat said, before running off in search of the neutral wolf.

Chat didn't have to run too far though, as he heard a shriek and crying. Coming round a corner, he spied the child being smothered in the arms of a woman that had to be her mother from all the tears.

"Thank you so much for saving my daughter!" The women sobbed, Chat spying Rogue Wolf as she ran off on all fours down the street.

Chat could only blink after her. Did...did the thief just perform a heroic deed?

* * *

 **Our first Akuma scene, and I don't particularly like how it turned out. It's so much harder to write action... I'd like to point out though, the whole telescope thing I couldn't figure out what that instrument was called that jewelers use to appraise jewels with. That's what it was, only extended.**

 **But anyways, ooh Hawk Moth's mysterious absence is no more. Now we're back to the Akumas trying to take over the civilians and causing terror. Not only that, but the bit of fluff back there between not only Ladybug and Chat Noir, but Chat and Rogue too! I can only wonder what will happen next.**

 **Well, not really as chapter 13 and 14 are already written.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! I'm so happy to see that favorites keep going up, that lets me know I'm not making this too badly as it keeps going on. Also thank you all so much for the 4 reviews last chapter! I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them! Gregory Spoon, I have seen only one episode of season 2 so far, so I had to look up who that was. I'm probably gonna go find the other episodes tonight, because I don't want to possibly botch something I didn't know was there. I apologize if I have already, I've just been waiting for the new episodes to drop on Netflix!**

 **I'm gonna go get back to writing, as I keep getting distracted by the new Sea of Thieves game, so I'll see you all next chapter!**


	13. Nicknames

Marinette smiled widely at Adrien at the way his eyes lit up. She had brought croissants with her today, knowing how much he loved them.

Recently, he's been looking like he's been lacking in sleep. So she wanted to do something to help, since he's been helping her get over her anxiety by being there for her when she needs him.

Not only that, but making it just a bit easier for her to finally tell him that she's in love with him. Soon, soon she would tell him.

Adrien took a bite of one of the croissants and it was one of the cutest sights to see, the way his body relaxed as he savored it like he'll never have enough.

"Thank you so much, Mari. You're amazing." Marinette giggled, half out of nervousness as she still wasn't used to the nickname from him and the rest out of sheer happiness at knowing he was so happy to have the pastry.

"I remembered how much you like them. You seem like you've been having a tough time recently, so I wanted to try to help somehow." Marinette explained, the second half of her explanation a little quieter out of shyness.

But looking up at Adrien and the soft look in his eyes as he looked at her, she couldn't help but smile a little more as she knew her face lit up red. The way his green eyes mixed with warmth for her and adoration for the pastries was threatening to make her heart beat out of her chest.

"Thank you, Marinette. It means a lot to me just to know you care enough to notice." Adrien said softly, Marinette's heart throbbing as she noticed a sullen glimmer in his eyes for a second before it returned to the warmth he had previously.

"Of course I'd notice. If something's really wrong, you can tell me. I'll do my best to help." Marinette reminded him with a soft smile of her own. She couldn't get that sullen look in his eyes out of her mind, it almost made her want to cry for him.

Adrien hesitated to take another bite of a croissant for a second, looking away from her before back as though he had to think over his words carefully. "It's nothing I'd want to bother you with. Just boring home life stuff." Adrien replied, but Marinette could tell just from the fact he had to think so carefully on his words that that wasn't all that it was.

"Is that really all it is?" Marinette asked, watching as he slowly chewed his croissant while looking away from her. He's always been so bad at trying to lie.

"Is it alright if I keep it to myself a little longer? I'm sorry, I know you want to help. Trust me, you are helping right now just by talking with me like this. But I just want to keep it to myself a little longer." Adrien said with a half smile, causing Marinette's heart to wrench a little more at what could possibly be bothering him so much.

"Alright. Just remember I'm here for you if you need me." Marinette reminded him before taking one of the croissants for herself. In her rush to get everything ready before leaving today, she hadn't had a proper breakfast herself.

"Thanks, Marinette." Adrien thanked her once again before Alya jumped up the steps to them and slid into the seat beside her.

"Ooh, croissants." Alya snatched one of the pastries as well, Adrien laughing at her actions and causing Marinette to laugh as well.

"You know, it's polite to ask for one before just grabbing." Marinette teased her best friend, earning an eye roll in return.

"I had to watch the twins this morning, I didn't get a good breakfast." Alya responded with, Adrien handing her another croissant almost immediately after.

"Everyone deserves a good breakfast." Adrien said with a smile, once more masking the solemn look that he had held not more than minutes before when they were talking alone.

Marinette held back the frown she wanted to have at knowing now how he could mask how he was really feeling pretty well. If he's doing it now, she only has to wonder how long he's been doing it over the few years they've known one another.

A tap on her shoulder drew her attention away from them, turning to see Nathaniel standing behind her. Surprisingly, he didn't have the shy blush he's usually had when around her.

"Have you heard from Tiana today? She's usually here by now." Nathaniel muttered quietly, Marinette turning to see that the desk she shared with Nathaniel was devoid of the books and papers that she usually had scattered over it.

Come to think of it, usually Tiana sits on the steps if she's early and walks in with them. She hasn't seen her once today.

"No, I haven't seen her today. Maybe she's running late." Marinette offered, not too sure really as Tiana has never been late before to class.

"I tried texting her but I got no response." Nathaniel said, at this point garnering the attention of her other friends now as Alya pulled out her phone and tapped at the screen quickly.

"Could be that she had early practice, she's been with her mother at the theater a lot recently." Adrien joined in to their conversation. Almost immediately, Nathaniel returned to his normal shy demeanor.

"I'm sure she's fine, Nathaniel." Marinette assured the red head before he walked back to his desk and sat back down, hiding himself in his notebook once more.

With a sigh, she turned back to the front of the room. She wished that Nathaniel would treat her like a friend again, it seems like this is just a little long to still be embarrassed about being akumatized for his crush on her being revealed.

As class began, she realized that Tiana indeed had not shown up for class. That's weird... She feels like she would tell at least one of them if she wasn't going to be there today.

Marinette could only hope things were fine as she watched Alya send a quick text to their friend before Miss. Bustier could notice them.

* * *

Tiana rolled her eyes as Verro zoomed past her, throwing the mini-fridge open and going to town on its contents.

"Supposed to be at school."

"Supposed to keep your identity secret."

Verro has been doing this since the Akuma attack. Today, he was just being particularly difficult.

Verro hadn't been too happy with her teasing of Chat Noir, not when she was walked home by him and even less on the night of the Akuma attack. He claimed she was being reckless and losing sight of the importance of keeping her identity a secret.

He was even less happy when she replied that she knew what she was doing and would enjoy further torment of the feline superhero.

"How do you think this is gonna look? Showing up late for no good reason. Or not going at all at the rate you're eating." Tiana remarked as Verro sat on top of the fridge and angrily munched on his meat balls.

"Oh I'm sorry, am I risking making you look suspicious?" Verro replied with a sarcastic quip that earned another eye roll.

"Verro, it's been days since the attack. I haven't gone out, I haven't encountered the cat. Hell, I haven't even gotten sassy with anyone that doesn't live in this house." Tiana reminded, throwing her arms in to the air to emphasize that his behavior was not necessary.

Verro zoomed over to her to float in front of her face. "You're letting the thrill of being around other heroes get to your head and mess with you to the point that you're risking everything. Your grandfather saw the news about that Akuma, you think he's not going to look further and find out that a wolf was there?" Verro asked with a glare at her.

"Maybe a handful of people saw me there, no one has caught me on camera yet Verro. We're good, we're safe. I'm sorry I worried you, I'm not going to risk our safety." Tiana replied, before both of them turned to the big metal door as it clunked loudly.

Swinging open a second later, Grandfather walked in. "I called your school and told them you had private lessons with me today." Grandfather began as the door slammed shut behind him.

Turning to Verro, Tiana bit her tongue as he flew back over to the mini-fridge and continued eating.

"Care to tell me why exactly you're skipping classes at the school you begged to go to?" Grandfather asked once he was stood beside her, leaning on his cane as he watched her carefully.

Sighing, it was pointless to even try to tell him anything considered a lie when he watched her like that.

"Verro held me back from going to school. He didn't want to leave." Tiana revealed, ignoring the indignant bark her words earned from her Kwami.

"Am I to assume it's to do with that attack the other night?" Grandfather asked next, flickering his golden eyes between her and Verro. "I know you were out that night. No one could find you anywhere, and when I came down here it was completely empty." Grandfather revealed as he walked over to the old couch and took a seat.

"We were out. But we didn't have anything to do with that Akuma. We saved one little girl, and that was it. Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle all that." Tiana recited the same thing she's been saying to Grandfather every time he asks if the General would soon return to help the citizens of Paris.

Grandfathers eyes lit up at the mention of saving the little girl, so she hoped he would forget to ask any further questions like if she's had interaction with the super duo.

"Well, that must be the first time you've assisted a citizen in two years then." Grandfather replied, laughing happily at the reveal as Tiana exchanged a glance with Verro.

Technically, she's been helping them ever since. Just from the shadows. But he didn't need to know that.

"So, does this mean you're beginning to change your mind about returning to the job then?" Grandfather asked just as she had anticipated. "You know the crowd here is different from the one back in Italy. They've always loved the General Wolf." Grandfather reminded with a beaming grin at her.

Yeah, they love the General Wolf that was him.

"Grandfather, I like things as they are right now. I'm finally starting to somewhat feel normal. Mother isn't consistently bearing down on me now that you're with us again, so I can actually feel like a normal teen." Tiana reminded, not wanting to get too deep into the discussion of her mother at the moment.

Grandfathers smile turned a little sad even at the mention of her. "She's a tough one, don't take it to heart, my dear. You know your parents love you as much as I do." Grandfather reminded her, but she couldn't help the sarcastic laugh at the notion.

"No offense Grand-père, but she only loves you as long as you're useful to her. You know I'm right about that too." Tiana replied dryly as Verro floated over to her.

"Tatiana-"

"You know its true. When we moved here, she hardly spared me a glance. But the moment she gets the funding for that new performance, she suddenly tells me I'm helping and I need to be there almost every day? All I am to her is another tool for her to get what she wants." Tiana couldn't help the bitter truth that she told. She's always tried to stay positive, to remember that she still had Grandfather and that him and Verro were enough for her.

But it still didn't keep the bitter truth that her mother only wanted her around if it was beneficial to her from hurting. It didn't keep her from wishing she could have a real mother who would love her unconditionally, keep the dark truths of reality at bay with a warm hug and smile.

Grandfather didn't even try to reprimand her again, just frowned sadly at her.

"Your father still loves you, and you know Verro and I love you as well. I'm sorry that your mother isn't there for you like she should be, I wish there was more I could do." Grandfather apologized for her mother as Tiana felt the familiar burn of un-shed tears in her eyes, cursing her emotional vulnerability towards her family.

"I know he loves me. I know you both love me too." Tiana muttered sadly, pressing the palms of her hands to her eyes to keep the tears at bay. She didn't want to cry because of her mother anymore, she's done it too long and she wouldn't allow the women to make her feel weak anymore.

Furry paws on her hands helped keep the streams of tears at bay, grateful for Verro's comfort even when he was annoyed at her for her recklessness recently.

"I wish there was more I could do for you about her, I've tried so many times. But she's stubborn, that one. Maybe after all this hecticness about the performance passes, we can try to have a sit down together. Your father is still trying his best, even with his job." Grandfather reminded her of how hard her father tried, but it still didn't help the bitter sting of knowing he wasn't physically around much away.

"I know, I know. Thank you, Grandfather. I know you do a lot for me, I'll never be able to thank you enough." Tiana murmured, this time the tears not wanting to stay away as Verro nuzzled his way onto her neck.

Seconds later, Grandfather had risen from the couch and she jumped up to let him hug her the way he always does when she's feeling miserable about her life with her family.

After a while longer of wiping away the bitter tears and fighting off the negative thoughts, Grandfather smiled once more. "Since you didn't go to school, today we'll do some lessons of our own. I'll show you what else this bunker hides." Grandfather said with a mischievous grin as he walked further into the bunker.

Exchanging a grateful look with Verro for his comforting her when she's feeling down, they followed after the former General.

* * *

Hours later, after managing to duck out on Beau once again, Tiana snuck out of the estate on foot. Verro was tucked safely in her shirt, but neither one of them wanted to transform.

It's been a long day, she just wanted to go grab dinner from somewhere where she isn't being looked upon as the lonely child who's parents are never there.

Grandfather did his best to distract her. Hell, she knew more things about the bunker to help with her own alter ego when she goes out again. But at the same time, she just wanted to be alone for a little while.

Verro was thankfully no longer mad at her about her risque behavior towards Chat Noir, so he was more than happy to go grab something to eat from out on the town.

They ended up close to the Eiffel Tower, taking some sub sandwiches to go and deciding to eat at the beautiful Champ De Mars.

"Why did no one ever tell me decades ago about the wonder that is a meatball sub?" Verro asked before taking another bite of his sandwich, Tiana keeping an eye out in case anyone came close enough to see the Kwami beside her on the bench.

"Maybe because you'll never stop asking for them." Tiana returned with a smirk, taking a bite of her own Tuna sub. She had to think hard on whether she wanted to follow Verro and get meatball, but eventually settled on the healthier bit. Besides, they bought about five subs, what Verro doesn't eat she will.

"Oh if only the meatballs were stuffed." Verro murmured through a mouth full, Tiana smiling at the dreamy look on his face as he clutched his food close.

"You think with your stomach too much." Tiana teased, not even getting a glare as her Kwami was too in love with his food.

It was nice to sit and eat in peace together. No staff running by and casting sad looks on her, or asking her if she wanted something else when she had said about four other times that everything was good as it was.

Just being allowed to enjoy each others company and be allowed to be themselves, it was enough to keep her happy.

"What time is it?" Verro asked after a few more minutes of eating in comfortable silence.

Pulling out her phone, she glanced at it briefly before going back to eating.

"It's quarter till."

"Quarter till what though?"

Verro glared at her briefly for the obscure answer, before she swallowed her bite.

"Ten."

"Well thank you, see that wasn't too hard." Verro remarked sarcastically, going back to eating as Tiana laughed at him.

"I dunno, I think it was pretty hard." Tiana replied innocently, laughing louder when Verro growled loudly at her.

"Why do I put up with you?" Verro questioned aloud after swallowing his own food, shaking his head as she laughed at him.

"Because I'm your best friend and you love me deep down." Tiana reminded, waiting a second for him to take another bite before adding, "Grumpy old wolf."

Verro barked at her through his mouth full, Tiana laughing loudly once more at his thin temper about being called old.

Suddenly though, Verro dashed into her shirt. Taking another bite of her sub, she noticed someone heading their way. Upon closer look being so dark out, she spied the familiar cat ears atop his head.

Well, damn. So much for a nice dinner alone together.

"What happened to keeping out of trouble, _ma chérie_?" Chat Noir asked once he got closer to her, casting a glance down at the bags that held what sandwiches were left and the various wrappers of what they had already eaten.

"I'm not doing anything dangerous. I'm just enjoying dinner with a view of the Champ De Mars." Tiana corrected him, holding back a frown as he walked over and took a seat beside her.

"At ten at night?" Chat asked with a smile, pulling out his staff and flicking the top up to show her a screen that read ten on the dot.

Shrugging, Tiana took another bite of her sub. "I figured I wouldn't have to worry about anything. I mean, looking at how well you and Ladybug handled that villain the other day, I'm sure some petty thugs like before will think twice." Tiana replied, holding back a smirk at the way Chat puffed his chest out a little at her compliment.

"Still, it's a little risky on your part to be out alone at night again." Chat reminded her of the same thing he said last time they talked, as well as the same thing her bodyguard recited to her about being out without him near.

"Well, you're here. So technically, I'm not alone." Tiana couldn't help the smart reply, fighting the urge to swat Verro when he kicked her in the ribs for her mannerisms. "It's been a long day, I just wanted to enjoy dinner somewhere nice like the Champ." Tiana continued, turning her gaze from her food and to the Eiffel Tower down the ways lit up.

Silence ensued for a minute, before she felt the bench shift under Chat Noir's weight. "Penny fur your thoughts, milady?" Chat asked, Tiana turning to see him now sitting to face her directly on the bench.

With a small smile, Tiana wrapped her food up and put it back in the bag. "No offense to you, Chat Noir. I don't really feel like discussing my home life with someone I barely know." Tiana replied as politely as she could, restraining her desire to be witty and sarcastic to the kitty cat.

Even though she had explained her manners towards Chat Noir as hiding in plain sight, she knew Verro would still be annoyed if she didn't show the kindness and positive outlook that she typically did as Tiana.

Chat Noir frowned at her words though, leaning an arm on the back of the bench as he looked her over carefully. "I've heard that talking about it helps though, purrhaps with a friend if not with me? Even though I thought we were friends..." Tiana resisted the want to roll her eyes at the latter half of his words and the way he sent her a cute little pout that reminded her of an actual kitten.

"I've talked about it with my Grandfather. I'd rather not bother my friends, they've all got their own things going on. What's going on with them is more important than what's been going on in my own home." Tiana explained, as though she knew Marinette was vaguely aware she had a not too good home life, she'd rather help her with her own issues.

Call it being selfish, call it being kind and caring. She doesn't know, she just feels like it's something that they shouldn't worry about themselves even being her friends. It's nothing that can just be fixed over night, unfortunately.

"Well that's not true. You're just as important as they are, milady. If something's wrong, I'm sure they'd want to help you." Chat assured her with a warm smile. Thinking on it, Nathaniel has tried to get her to talk various times. But she was so exemplary at diversion that it never had to happen.

Then there was Adrien, but he's been looking like he hasn't been having too nice a time either recently. So she really didn't want to bother him when he's likely got his own problems to deal with.

"Does this have anything to do with that boorish man that tried to yell at you the night I walked you home?" Chat asked after a minute of silence. Tiana couldn't help the snicker at even the thought that Beau could bother her so.

"No, I'm sure I'll get an earful when I get home tonight from him, but he doesn't bother me. To him I'm just the ungrateful child of his boss, so I don't bother caring what he thinks of me." Tiana said with a dismissive wave over the bodyguard.

Chat Noir looked mildly offended for her by revealing how Beau felt about her even, and she couldn't help but smile a little at his kindness. Even if they were on opposite sides of the law currently, it didn't mean that she didn't admire his open warmth towards the populace of Paris.

"I'd hardly consider you ungrateful." Chat muttered, Tiana laughing at how he once more sounded and looked like a pouting kitten.

"Well, considering I'll side with my Grandfather in a heartbeat over my mother, who pays him, he thinks I'm ungrateful. You'd think he'd notice how the women only pays him to make sure I show up to her recitals, and doesn't really care about me any other time." Tiana remarked, biting her tongue as she realized that she was being pessimistic again about the women that brought her life.

"She's your mother, she cares about you I'm sure. All mothers care about their children." Chat replied and this time she couldn't hold back the dry laugh at the notion.

"You'd think that, huh?" Tiana retorted dryly, resisting the touch of Verro's paw on her rib cage to try to remind her that he was still there for her. "Let's not talk about her, please. I already had this discussion today with my Grandfather, I'd really rather not have it again right now." Tiana said before Chat could try to correct her or reprimand her for her attitude about her mother.

Chat just blinked at her for a moment, seemingly in thought before his bright green eyes drifted down to the bag on the bench beside her. "A little much for just one person, huh?" Chat asked, waving a hand towards the bag that still held a few more subs that they hadn't eaten yet.

With a shrug, Tiana dug into the bag and pulled one out before handing it to him. "I was going to bring the extra ones home. You can have one, if you'd like." Tiana offered with a kind smile, Chat dawning a surprised look at her offer.

"Really? You don't need to-"

"Please, I insist. Consider it extra thanks for walking me home that night."

Tiana hoped that Verro would be happy in her change of demeanor to mask the Rogue side, but at the same time she was giving the cat one of his subs. So it was a win win on her side, but win lose on his side.

"You really don't need to thank me, it's my job to protect lovely ladies like yourself from the darkness of Paris." Chat reminded her, but he didn't hand the offering back so she assumed he was taking the thanks regardless. "Just please, stop putting yourself out like this where you might endanger yourself." Chat waved his free hand towards her, obviously gesturing towards the fact that she was out alone at night once again.

Smiling gently and not wanting to annoy Verro more, she simply nodded her agreement. Opening her mouth would give her tongue chance to say what she really wanted to.

"It just feels nice to feel free every so often, you know." Tiana muttered, but wondered if he would even understand. How could he, actually. One of the Hero's of Paris, he's probably been given his freedom all his life.

Unlike her, who's like a caged dog who can only truly escape when Verro helps her. Before Verro, she probably only ever got freedom when with her grandparents.

"I know how you feel." Chat muttered in response to her, and upon glancing at him once more saw a thoughtful gaze in his eyes. Like he understood her plight all too well.

Biting back the desire to coo about the adorableness that was the feline hero, Tiana pulled out her phone to take a look at the time. Grandfather was probably starting to wonder if she was actually gone instead of hiding somewhere in the estate.

"I should be getting home before Beau tries to find me himself. Besides, I'm sure you have other things to do than sit and talk with a lamenting girl." Tiana said as she stood from the bench and grabbed the bag to start the trek home.

Chat Noir stood up right after her, smiling warmly once more at her. "Well I think it's a nice reprieve to just sit and talk with you for a little while. Besides, I can't exactly let you walk home alone again after last time." Chat said before stepping to her side and waving a hand in the direction she would be going to go home. "After you, purrincess."

Tiana bit back the comment she wanted to throw at the nickname.

She was after all by no means a princess. That term as far as she cared belonged to Marinette and her Prince charming.

"I'd prefer it if you come up with a different nickname if you're going to come up with one for me, knight in kitty armor." Tiana said as they began walking side by side. Even knowing that this man was technically her enemy, it didn't feel too bad to be so close to her as it did last time he saw her civilian self.

Last time, she was just over excited about being able to examine him without the mask and let her curiosity risk her identity.

"But what's wrong with Princess? I'd think it suits you. I mean, a beautiful girl desiring her freedom, sounds like a Disney movie to me." Chat pointed out with a laugh, Tiana forcing one out of herself to try to hide the desire to roll her eyes.

"I don't feel like one though. You'd be better set using that one for Ladybug, because Princess just doesn't suit me." Tiana offered, before wincing as Verro kicked her side again for bringing up Ladybug when they haven't yet encountered her in civilian form.

Chat was silent for a moment as they walked, and with a glance at him he appeared in thought as his gaze stayed in front of them. "Is it that obvious?" Chat asked at last, turning his gaze to her for her to see the conflicted look in his green eyes now.

Oh no, it's not totally obvious that you're head over heels, drooling at the mouth for Little Red.

Tiana sent him a soft smile in return before turning her gaze back to the sidewalk in front of them. "I haven't seen her yet since I've arrived, but my friend has shown me plenty of videos of you two. The way you look at her, it's almost impossible not to see. You look at her as though she's the brightest star in the sky, and you'll keep wishing on it until she's yours." Tiana revealed to him, looking back at him to see his face tinted a light pink now.

His gaze was thoughtful once more, but held the undertone of longing. Unsurprisingly, it also held the pain that she saw the night Ladybug argued with him.

They walked in silence from that point on until at last they came to the gates of her families estate once more. "You'd think that if you, who's barely met me can see it, she'd see it herself." Chat commented dryly, Tiana biting back the smart comment about the bug and her reluctance to talk about anything that isn't business.

"Try not to let it get to you. If it's meant to be, it will be. If not, it's her loss." Tiana replied with a shrug, glancing towards the door in case Beau shows his face again.

Chat stared at her for a second, making her a little uncomfortable by the intensity of his eyes as she didn't trust him not to possibly figure out her identity.

"I should get inside before they realize I'm still gone. _Bonne Nuit_ , Chat Noir." Tiana bid him goodnight with a smile before turning to head up to the door.

" _Bonne Nuit, ma beauté_." Tiana faintly heard his response as she reached the door, fighting off the smile at his nickname.

* * *

 **Do I need to do a vocabulary tab at this point? I mean, Ma beauté is kind of obvious as meaning my beauty. I'm about 40% fluent in French though, so maybe it's easier for me. Let me know if any of you get annoyed by it and I'll keep doing the translations.**

 **Well, this was a bit of a deeper chapter wasn't it. We're starting to see a little deeper in to the turmoil that is Tiana's relationship with her parents. Not only that, but we see a little more just how close she and Verro are. I thought that Champs scene was befitting after such a emotional scene before it. Ooh though, it looks like Marinette's starting to see through the mask that Adrien hides behind to make people believe he's really okay.**

 **By the way, I don't remember if I said this last chapter but thank you all so much for the reviews. I know I've said it helps with the writing process already, but I'm just genuinely happy to see them each time. Also Clarisa, sorry to say that we haven't gotten to see the aftermath yet of how Ladybug reacts to Rogue's rescue during the fight. I just needed to address the views about Rogue's behavior by Verro this chapter.**

 **Anyways, I'm getting behind on my writing right now because of this new game. I need to go back to writing, I've only got the next chapter finished! Let me know if the French translations are an issue, thank you all so much for reading and I'll see you all next chapter!**


	14. Trying To Help

Adrien looked back down at his book, doing his best to avoid being seen.

Currently, their class was sent to the library for research work. He was working on it with Marinette, Alya and Nino. Tiana was sat further away with Nathaniel, every so often quiet laughter coming from their table.

He's been trying for a few days to figure out a way to talk to her about what she told Chat Noir, but it was a little harder to figure out a way without revealing who he was.

As Adrien, she usually talked with him on friendly terms all the time. But whenever family was mentioned, she'd change subject. He wanted to prove to her that they were there for her if she wanted to talk, like he told her weeks ago but apparently didn't set in.

There hasn't been an opportunity to get her alone yet though, as Nathaniel has either been around her or Marinette and Alya have been. So he has just been having to wait for the right moment while figuring out the right thing to say.

There was laughter from their table again as Marinette and Alya whispered to each other beside him. Vaguely, it sounded along the lines of someone having a crush. But he didn't want to eavesdrop on his friends.

Though, he couldn't deny he was a little curious about who it was of their friends that had a crush on someone.

"Are you two gossiping again?" Nino asked the girls as he finished with the one book they were using as reference material.

Marinette and Alya exchanged a look before Alya dragged Nino closer to her, whispering to him. What was so interesting that they didn't want even him hearing?

Nino's eyes lit up at whatever Alya said to him, so Adrien rolled his own eyes before getting up to grab another book from the shelves.

As he was looking through the various books on the shelves, Tiana walked down the same isle as him, offering him a warm smile as she began looking for a book off the shelves as well.

"You're looking less sleep deprived." Tiana commented quietly, a teasing smile now replacing the warm one as he laughed mockingly at the comment.

"I'm sleeping a bit better, don't worry your little head." Adrien replied as Tiana laughed at him this time, fighting off the Chat like smile he wanted to give her at knowing he made her laugh.

"Oh I haven't worried about you. I'm sure if you get tired enough you'll pass out eventually." Tiana said as he finally spotted the book he was looking for.

As he reached for it, another hand too reached for it. Their fingers ghosted against one another, an electric feeling racing down his fingers to his arm and beyond. He pulled his hand away just as she did, unsure of what the hell just happened.

It was like how he felt whenever Ladybug touched him, but this was different. This wasn't Ladybug, this was his friend Tiana. This didn't make his heart beat erratically, but did make it feel like his skin was tingling in the aftershock.

" _Désolé_ , you can use the book." Tiana spoke first, and at looking at her it looked like he was the only one who just felt that. She still was smiling kindly, no sign that anything out of the ordinary had just happened when they touched.

What was that? He's touched Tiana before, they've sparred plenty of times and come into contact because of it. Not to mention that she frequently leans on him as he does to her. But THAT has never happened.

Why now?

"No, no it's fine. You use it." Adrien hard to force himself to talk, as he felt tongue tied when he retrieved the book and handed it to her.

Unfortunately, Tiana being the ever observant person she is must have sensed something was off as she cocked an eyebrow at him. "You good, Agreste?" Tiana asked as she took the book from him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Adrien assured her, glancing back in the direction of their friends that were still gossiping together at the table. "I have no idea what's going on with them, they've been whispering almost the whole time we've been in here." Adrien changed the subject in hopes Tiana would forget about it and move on.

Tiana barely gave a glance towards their other friends, laughing quietly. "What do you expect? It's basically a free period if you get the work done fast. Besides, Alya can't resist all the news and gossip." Tiana reminded him before he noticed that Alya and Marinette kept giving quick glances in their direction.

"Somehow I feel like they're planning something." Adrien muttered, as any time Alya and Marinette would whisper and glance occasionally at something then proceed to whisper more, it meant they were up to something.

"Probably." Tiana agreed with him with a shrug before walking away and back to her table with Nathaniel, noticing the way the shy red head smiled a little wider at Tiana as she sat back down.

A twinge in his chest made him look away from them, going to look for another book elsewhere.

He only got one row over when he heard Chloe laugh loudly, immediately knowing something was about to happen.

"Why don't you two just date already? You're already acting like a cute little couple."

Adrien bit his tongue as he came around the shelves to see Chloe had turned her chair to face Tiana and Nathaniel's table, the shyer of the two burying his face in a notebook.

Chloe glanced his way, and for a second he wondered if this was her attempt at trying to be nice. But instead Tiana scoffed at her words.

"We're friends, Chloe. Not everyone is looking to date, we're perfectly happy just as we are." Tiana replied to her without even looking up at her, just continuing to write in her own notebook.

Chloe scrunched her nose in annoyance, obviously wanting to say something to Tiana as he walked over quickly in hopes of diffusing the situation.

"Obviously you don't see the way he looks at you then. It's like how he looks at Mari-trash." Chloe said before he could reach her, pinching the bridge of his nose as she once more assumed she was being treated like a witch and was acting the part.

"Hey!"

"Leave Marinette out of it!"

Adrien stepped up to Chloe's table as Marinette and Alya protested from their own, glancing around for a second as he wondered where the teachers had gone this time. "Chloe, enough." Adrien said as calmly as he could, trying to fight off the annoyance of his friends bickering.

"What? I didn't do anything! I just told them to date already since Nathaniel's always looking at her like a love-struck puppy." Chloe argued with him, clicking a nail on the table as she turned her back to the two.

A chair scraped obnoxiously across the floor, and looking back he watched as Nathaniel hurried out of the library.

Looking at Tiana, he saw her expression darken on Chloe. This will not end well...

"Tiana..."

"You really just cant help yourself, can you?" Tiana questioned Chloe as she stood from her table, glaring down Chloe who still had her back to her.

"Well sorry for trying to help." Chloe quipped back, earning scoffs from not only Tiana but Marinette and Alya as well as they too stood from their tables and moved towards Tiana.

"If this is your idea of helping, I feel real bad for anyone else you try to help." Tiana replied as she stuffed her stuff into her bag quickly. At that, Chloe whipped around to face her once again.

"Just because you like someone that's not him doesn't mean you can be mad at me for trying to help him." Chloe snapped at her, Adrien putting a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her down but instead earning a glare. "You know I'm right! I told you at dinner that one of them has feelings for you, that's why she doesn't like the psycho artist back!" A collection of murmurs rose from the rest of the class at her words.

Looking back Tiana's way, he noticed she was no longer there. A slam from the doors a second later let him know that she had left as well with no other words.

"Chloe, this was NOT the way you try to be nice to others." Adrien reminded her, taking a deep breath to try to steady his want to be mad at her for upsetting all of his friends once again as well as spreading rumors about things that weren't her business anyways.

"I tried to help them." Chloe continued to argue with him, before the doors slammed once again. Looking back, Alya and Marinette were gone now too. A moment later their teacher finally showed back up with a confused expression about what the hell was happening.

Great, this was definitely the way he wanted Chloe to try to make nice with the others.

* * *

Marinette tried to her best to quell the pain flaring in her chest, she really did. But at knowing that Chloe had told Adrien that one of them had feelings for him, she couldn't stay there anymore. She couldn't be there to witness if she stole her chance to tell Adrien the truth.

But even less, she couldn't fight off the worry that Chloe might have a point. What if that's the reason Tiana seemingly doesn't like Nathaniel back? She was right, it was painfully obvious that Nathaniel's been developing a crush on their friend.

So if even Chloe can see that, can she see if Tiana actually has feelings for Adrien?

Alya followed after her, trying to remind her that Chloe was all talk. But all she could think of was all the talks with Adrien, the laughter. She wanted to be the one to share with him all her happiness and his own in turn. To hold his hand when she's feeling stressed or feel his arms wrap around her to fight off the worry.

But what if that's not what he wanted?

In these weeks of trying to get closer with him to ease her anxiety about telling him how she feels, she hadn't once thought if he might have feelings for someone else. Obviously it wasn't Chloe.

But what if it was Tiana?

They were close, and they teased each other a lot. They had big similarities, like their unfavorable home lives. What if Adrien had started developing feelings for Tiana like Nathaniel had?

At first glance, it didn't seem like it. But she had never actually asked him if he had feelings for anyone. They never got even close to that kind of discussion. She felt guilty a little in that most of their talks revolved around her, instead of if he had feelings for anyone. Yes, she hopes and prays its for her if he does.

But her nerves could only skyrocket at the idea of what if it wasn't her. What if it was Tiana, and she felt the same? Or what if she didn't, as she was brutally honest about how she felt about everyone. What if he had feelings for her but she didn't return them, and he ends up hurt?

Alyas hand clasped over her shoulder, stopping her at last as well as the downward spiral that was her thoughts. "Breathe." Alya reminded her first, taking a deep breath to get her to join in.

After a few deep breaths to steady her nerves and thoughts, she faintly heard talking nearby. Focusing a little more, she went to find them as she realized it was Tiana, hoping the other voice was Nathaniel.

Following their voices, they came to the locker room.

"-she's full of it. Don't let her get to you."

"Easy for you to say. You don't-"

Peeking in to the locker room, Marinette spotted Tiana sitting with her back to some of the lockers. Following Nathaniel's voice, it sounded like he was on the other side of the row of lockers. Out of sight probably from embarrassment.

Marinette suddenly remembered that Hawk Moth was still very much around. She couldn't risk letting Hawk Moth akumatize Nathaniel again.

Everything she's feeling is important, but making sure her friend stays free of an akuma is more important.

"Nathaniel, everyone knows not to believe her. No one is judging you, I'm not judging you. I already know who it is you really have feelings for." Tiana said as Marinette was about to walk in to try to help.

Alyas hand held her back, holding a finger over her lips to keep quiet. At what Tiana said, she felt like they probably shouldn't be here for what's being discussed. It wasn't their business, Nathaniel probably didn't want them to know.

"You really don't understand." Nathaniel replied to her quietly. Marinette's heart clenched at the tone of his voice, how broken he sounded. All she wanted to do was help, make sure he understood that they were there for him to talk and that how he feels about someone isn't something to be ashamed of.

"Nat-"

"Just leave me alone for a while. Please."

Nathaniel's plead was just as quiet as before, but the pain in his tone sounded more raw this time. Like even talking about it just hurt more and more.

Marinette was about to go in to try to help, but held back when she saw Tiana's eyes flicker to them in the doorway.

With a shake of her head at them, she stood up and walked around the lockers.

"Tiana-"

"Shush."

"Will you just-"

"Nope."

Marinette and Alya exchanged a look after a minute of silence. As they were about to walk in to make sure everything was okay, another hand brushed her shoulder.

Marinette had to cover her mouth as she almost squealed in surprise, whirling around to see it was Adrien who had snuck up on them. His eyes twinkled with a desire to laugh, but he held back from doing so.

Why do people get such a kick out of scaring others?!

Adrien opened his mouth to speak, but Alya covered his mouth quickly. Marinette struggled to hold back a laugh at the startled look that replaced his eyes over Alyas sudden action, before motioning to the both of them to follow.

They tiptoed into the locker room, Marinette listening carefully in case they were still talking. But it was dead silent now. So as they reached the edge of the lockers that blocked their view of Tiana and Nathaniel, she waited for a second.

With no other sounds, she peaked around the corner to see the two at last. Her heart nearly cried at the sight she saw.

With their backs to the lockers, Tiana had an arm wrapped around Nathaniel's waist, her head resting on his shoulder as he rested his own on hers. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder so tightly it was like he was afraid to let her go.

Both of their eyes were closed, obviously why they were so silent up until now. But even with the seeming peace of comforting that Tiana was providing, Nathaniel's body language still showed how hurt he was.

A loud bang suddenly startled all five of them, Marinette whipping around to see Adrien had stumbled past her into the lockers across from them. He sent a sheepish smile her way before leveling it in the direction of Tiana and Nathaniel.

Nathaniel pulled away from Tiana so quick it was like he thought she was fire, acting like he was about to escape but Tiana's hand caught his own.

"They're not going to mock or tease you, Nathaniel. You know that." Tiana spoke up before she could give her own apology for interrupting.

"We're really not. Chloe is just trying to get attention, we don't care what she says." Marinette reminded, frowning at the way Nathaniel couldn't even look at her in comparison to looking at the other three in the room.

Nathaniel groaned before ripping his hand out of Tiana's grip and turning his back to her. "I asked to be alone and you let them get in to this?" Nathaniel asked, directing the question at Tiana as she noticed the way Tiana's expression dropped a little at him yanking away from him.

"Tiana had nothing to do with us being here. We wanted to make sure you both were okay, we're your friend too Nathaniel." Marinette reminded him in hopes of him at last treating her fairly again after the three years since his feelings were ousted by Chloe the last time.

Nathaniel snorted indignantly before grabbing his bag from the floor where they had been sitting moments before. "You're like her. All you care about is who has feelings for who. It's no one's business but mine." Nathaniel hissed quietly without looking at any of them.

Marinette could already see the negative emotions getting the best of him. There was no doubt in her, if Hawk Moth was watching he would be sending an Akuma for Nathaniel if they didn't fix this quick.

"That's not true. Its like you say, it's between you and the girl you have feelings for." Adrien intervened now, always the mediator. "There's nothing wrong with you having feelings for her, it's natural. Its up to you if you want to tell her, and I doubt she'd believe it coming from Chloe. Yes, in her own awful way she was trying to help, but the final choice is up to you if you tell her." Adrien spoke with such honesty in his voice that Marinette couldn't keep her gaze away from him.

How he talked about having feelings for another girl, it was like he's had a lot of time to think about this subject. Does he have feelings for someone too?

She felt her heart thump as she hoped to everything that it was for her.

Nathaniel was quiet for a moment, before sighing as his ridged posture of annoyance with them slowly relaxed.

As Marinette was about to tell him they were there for him to talk to, she noticed the black butterfly that flew in the window.

Marinette's mouth dropped open, seconds from warning him when he was yanked backwards away from the butterfly.

Nathaniel fell to the floor with Tiana at his side as she blocked the butterfly from reaching its target. It was like time stopped as they watched with hesitant breaths as the butterfly fluttered around them.

She needed to get out of here, she needed to transform and purify the Akuma.

Nathaniel stared up at the fluttering butterfly as it inched closer, before suddenly Tiana jumped up.

"Don't touch it!"

Tiana clapped her hands over the butterfly, and Marinette felt the air leave her lungs as she waited for the inky substance to take her like it would have Nathaniel.

But after a minute of holding their breaths in horror of what was about to happen, nothing did.

Tiana's legs collapsed beneath her, Nathaniel catching her as she fell to the ground with the butterfly still secured in her hands.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Tiana asked as Marinette turned away from them. She needed to slip away and transform.

When Alya and Adrien raced over to try to help her, Marinette took the chance and fled the locker room.

* * *

Ladybug raced back to the locker room as she heard a yell. Bursting into the room, she dodged just in time to avoid Alya and Adrien as they dragged Nathaniel backward.

"It's my fault!"

Coming around the corner, Ladybug gasped as she saw the Akuma duplicating itself atop a now frozen Evillustrator copy. The Akuma had duplicated and possessed Tiana!

"Ladybug!" Ladybug flashed her gaze to Adrien to see him now staring her down. Her face warmed as the tell tale she was blushing, but she had to fight off her nerves about his excitement over seeing her. Now wasn't the time.

"All three of you, get somewhere safe. I'll help your friend there." Ladybug assured them but Nathaniel still continued struggling in Alya and Adrien's hold.

"It's my fault this happened, she stopped it from touching me." Nathaniel pointed out as Ladybug felt her heart throb at the anguish he was feeling at what has happened.

"It's not your fault, Nathaniel. Trust me, I'll help her. But I need you all to get to safety. She protected you, I'm sure she'd be hurt if it actually reaches you after doing what she did." Ladybug said as calmly as she could in hopes that Nathaniel would get a control over his emotions.

Without another word, she turned around to the rapidly duplicating Akuma, pulling her yo-yo from her waist. She just hoped that it didn't start possessing other innocent people.

"Wait!"

Just as Ladybug went to throw her yo-yo, Nathaniel raced forward. Changing tactics, she threw her yo-yo and it wrapped around his waist before she yanked him backwards.

Nathaniel stumbled backwards and into Alyas grasp once again, whimpering about wanting to be the one to help Tiana. But right now she couldn't deal with the conscience of her friend.

"Please, get him somewhere safe." Ladybug said to Alya before he was whisked away by her. She was vaguely aware of the fact that Adrien was no longer there, but that wasn't the most important thing at the moment.

Turning back to the Akumas, she spun her yo-yo in a quick circle before beginning to start capturing some of the duplicates.

The actual Akuma continued duplicating even as she got rid of some of the others, realizing that she'd need to get to the real one in order to stop the chain reaction.

The multitude of Akumas started fluttering towards her and the window, spinning her yo-yo quickly to protect herself from being touched by any of them.

As one got past her defense, it was suddenly smacked away by a metal staff, Chat Noir appearing at her side with a sideways smile as he began spinning his staff in front of them.

"Good to see you, Chat Noir." Ladybug said before beginning to thin the herd in search of the real Akuma among the fakes.

"Looks like I got here in time for the party. Where's the victim?" Chat asked as he covered her from being touched by any of the duplicates, noticing the way he kept glancing at the frozen copy of the Evillustrator.

"Hopefully somewhere safe this time, we just need to capture that Akuma." Ladybug revealed before noticing the one stray Akuma that was heading for the door. It was probably looking for Nathaniel, that has to be the one!

"I'll take care of these little mice, you get the rat." Chat assured her with a smile before she took off after the real Akuma.

Ladybug skidded into the hallway to see the black butterfly fluttering towards the main entrance, launching her yo-yo forward and capturing it.

Only for it to poof as soon as it entered her yo-yo. Dang it, wrong one!

A butterfly fluttered past her face suddenly, startling her before she yanked her yo-yo back and caught it. With another poof, she looked around to see that there were few other butterflies in the hallway.

Taking a deep breath, Ladybug began capturing them all quickly in hopes that one would be the real one.

As she got down to the last one that was hovering on a dropped notebook mysteriously, she caught it and sighed as it didn't disappear. Purifying it with a sigh of relief, she activated her Miraculous Ladybug effect to get rid of the stray butterflies.

With that done, she stooped down to pick up the notebook that had lain forgotten on the floor, wondering why it was interested in that. Upon seeing the name scribbled haphazardly at the bottom of the cover, she realized Nathaniel must have forgotten it in the rush of the moment.

Ladybug knew it was an invasion of privacy, but she couldn't help her peaking curiosity as she opened the little book. Each page was littered with drawings of varying topics, a reoccurring theme being super heroes and hilarious pictures of Chloe with animal appendages.

As she got further into the pages, she felt her heart stutter in her chest as she stumbled upon one page that was a portrait of her. Well, of her as Marinette. She had seen the ones he had done years ago in his comics where he would rescue her, but this one was so much more detailed. It looked like he took a long time just trying to get it right from all the eraser marks.

Flipping a few more pages, her eyes widened upon realizing that there were a few pages dedicated just to her. But then suddenly, Tiana started making an appearance in the pages.

The first one was of a side profile of her at her desk, a pen hanging from between her lips as she looked down at the book on the desk. It was as well done as the ones of herself, but it looked a little more rushed.

Like he was afraid of being caught for drawing it.

The next one of Tiana was of her face staring back at her, nose scrunched up a little as she appeared to be laughing. Her blue eyes twinkling with delight as they seemed to pop out of the page.

Ladybug suddenly slammed the notebook shut as Nathaniel skidded around the corner, mechanically handing the notebook back to him as he blushed red to match his hair at seeing it in her hands.

"Where's Tiana?" Nathaniel asked after slamming the book shut, Ladybug then realizing she had forgotten in the moment that Tiana had been frozen by the Akuma.

Turning and running back to the locker room, she threw the doors open to see a still somewhat dazed Tiana sitting beside Chat Noir, her partner smiling down at Tiana with a few quiet words she couldn't quiet understand.

But the way he smiled at her, it made her heart twinge oddly. It was a look she usually saw him send her own way, but now it was being sent elsewhere. What is this?

Ladybug was pushed aside as Nathaniel rushed forward, looking down at Tiana as her daze began to lift before suddenly engulfing her in a hug.

Chat came to stand beside her as she felt that they should just let these two talk alone, heart hurting a little at the quiet sniffles coming from Nathaniel as his face was buried in Tiana's shoulder.

"Nice job, my lady." Chat praised her, but his gaze didn't meet her fully as he kept switching between her and her friends. Ladybug really just wanted to get out of there.

"Let's let them talk in peace, Chat Noir." Ladybug said before turning around and leaving, barely getting out of the door when Chat's claw caught her hand.

"Ladybug-"

"I need to go change back, Chat Noir." Ladybug reminded him, noticing the way he glanced to her earings with a sigh before letting her go.

"I-I'm glad those butterflies didn't get you." Chat said before turning and walking away himself, leaving her to stare after him for a second before turning to go find somewhere to de-transform.

What is going on with him? First, he's stealing odd glances at her friend, and now he's back to his bouts of affection for her?

But what she had to worry about more, was why it bothered her to see the way he looked at another girl with the curiosity he usually had for her.

* * *

 **I'm** **p** **osting earlier than usual today, I know. I have errands I need to run at the usual time when I post though, so I hope you guys don't mind the change in schedule for today!**

 **Well look at that, it seems something might be stirring with Nathaniel when it comes to Tiana. Not only that, but Adrien as well. I wonder where this will lead us to?**

 **Sadly, I'm behind on writing due to being busy, so I only have next chapter written and nothing of the one after that yet. My schedule's been conflicting with my writing, sorry guys!**

 **Anyways, thank you all so much for reading! We're at over 2000 views at this point, and that's just amazing! I didn't think this story would get that many hits so fast, but you guys proved me wrong! Thank you so, so much. I gotta go run these errands though, so I'll see you all next chapter!**


	15. Truth

**Before we begin, when you guys get to the song part of the chapter go look up Waltz by Lindsey Stirling. I wish I could just post it along in here like I do on QuoteV, but unfortunately I cannot. So go ahead and start reading, you lovely readers!**

* * *

Tiana stretched, hearing her leg pop as she watched her friends gawk and run around her home. They wanted to make sure she was really alright, so all of them followed her back home to the estate.

Beau wasn't very happy, to say the least.

They were in the living room currently, as she didn't want to take the energy to show them around the entire estate. It would take too long, and she was still a little tired from the earlier ordeal.

Fortunately, none of those little butterflies got in to her Miraculous. But it still wasn't a very good time to just be frozen in place for who knows how long with nothing to do but stare in silence.

Verro wasn't too happy that everyone was here either. He was enraged by what had happened, but more so because of the fact that those little purple butterflies had touched her. Not because she had protected her friend. He was just worried about her, she knew that.

Speaking of friend, Marinette glanced over at Nathaniel with a look that peaked her curiosity. What's this? Is she worried about him, or is something else going on that she hadn't been made aware of?

Nathaniel stopped looking at the painting that was mounted on the wall, so Marinette stopped looking his way. Instead, he turned around and came back to the couch and sat beside her.

Nathaniel has been on her almost as much as Verro since she was freed, apologizing left and right and trying to do anything to make up for what had happened. It wasn't his fault, she told him that too. But his guilty conscience wouldn't go away.

Turning in her position of being stretched out on the couch, Tiana draped her legs over him instead. He gave her a curios look, but propped his feet up on the ottoman instead of saying anything.

This was nice. Just sitting back and relaxing.

"Get a picture, you two."

Well, scratch that.

"Alya, this coming from the one who half the time is sitting in her boyfriends lap." Tiana reminded, as currently Nino was sat in a recliner beside the sectional sofa when Alya just plopped herself down on his lap without a word.

"We're dating, that makes it normal." Alya countered with a laugh, Tiana rolling her eyes at her but laughing along regardless.

"Who knew you were so cuddly though, Tiana." Nino joined in to their conversation with a teasing grin as Tiana noticed how Marinette was whispering across the room with Adrien.

"I've done this to Adrien before too, it's not that strange. Besides, what's wrong with it?" Tiana asked, realizing a second too late that Marinette wasn't distracted by Adrien and therefore had heard.

Well shit.

"You're not dating either of them, are you?" Alya asked, a teasing smile on her lips but a firm look in her eyes as a warning that what she was about to say could be good or catastrophic.

"Are you joking? Have you met me? I'm not exactly the roses and candies kind of person, my schedule doesn't exactly allow that luxury." Tiana reminded, as technically today she was supposed to be at the theater with Mother but Grandfather had put his foot down upon finding out what happened.

Suffice to say, he wasn't very happy either that she had gotten caught in civilian form by one of those little bugs.

"Doesn't mean you can't have feelings for someone." Nino said, before Alya elbowed him as her answer had been adequate before he had to go and throw that in there.

Marinette joined them on the couch, sitting on the other end from them as Adrien took a seat beside her. "We all have our own crushes here, we don't need to talk about them if we don't want to." Marinette joined the conversation with a quiet response.

Tiana almost burst out laughing at what Adrien said next.

"Who is your crush, Marinette?"

Marinette squeaked before covering her mouth, face red with both her shyness because her crush was sitting beside her and because he just went and asked that.

"I-well I don't-I can't-"

Tiana sat up a little on the couch, popping her shoulders as she thought quick to help her friend. "Why don't you answer that question first, Agreste? Tell us, who is the famous model pining for?" Tiana asked with a cheeky grin as Alya covered her mouth with one hand and sent her a thumbs up with the other.

One of them had to ask, and she wasn't afraid to ask the questions no one was brave enough to ask.

If there was a doubt that Adrien even had a crush on anyone, it was squashed by the way his cheeks dusted pink upon letting that question sink in. Hell, he even sank a little in to the couch. Like he didn't want to talk about it either.

Marinette's own embarrassment faded a little at his reaction to the question, mouth opening in to an o as she obviously wanted to know. Tiana knew, she wanted his crush to be on her. It's been three years of desiring to be with him, after all.

As Tiana was about to tease him and try to work the answer out, Nathaniel joined in to the fun as well. Unfortunately, it wasn't directed Adrien's way.

"Do you have feelings for anyone, Tiana?" Nathaniel asked, quiet still because of her other friends. But hopefully he'd start opening up to them as well.

Tiana bit her tongue to fight off the want to yell not to drag her in to this and keep the focus on Adrien to help Mari, but now the other four had their gazes set on her.

Thinking fast like the wolf she was, Tiana produced a sweet little smile. "A girl likes to keep some things a secret, Natty boy." Tiana replied before her sweet smile turned teasing as she once more turned to their other friends. "What's your answer though, Agreste?" Tiana cooed as she felt Verro shift within the confines of her shirt.

Bad, Wolf side is starting to show.

Adrien looked away with a shy rub of the back of his neck, staring down at his shoes instead of at any of them.

"Okay, how's about we make this a little more fair." Nino interrupted them out of nowhere, picking Alya up and setting her on the arm rest of the chair as he stood up.

Alya held the same look of disbelief she was sure was on her own and Marinette's face over him just stopping them from finding out the answer that needed to be known for Mari's sake.

"Let's play a game. If you dudette's still want to keep this conversation going, you can ask it then. We're gonna play Truth or Dare." Nino advised them, Tiana scrunching her face up at the game.

"What are we, middle schoolers?" Tiana asked with a small glare on Nino. She had never played it, as she hadn't really had many friends until now in life, but from what she's heard it's only fun for maybe a few questions then its boring.

"Hey, you guys wanna ask questions, you can do that or take a mandatory dare if you don't answer the truth." Nino said with a shrug, grinning with a hint of mischief in his eyes before Alya agreed to play.

Then, it became a chain reaction until all had reluctantly agreed to play along.

All of them were now seated on the couch, as it circled round enough for them all to be facing each other.

"I'll start, Nathaniel dude, truth or dare?" Nino asked the red haired boy who she still had her legs stretched over.

Nathaniel looked to her as though expecting her to help, but she just waved her hand at him to answer. Reluctantly, he answered with truth.

"Alright, do you have a crush on one of the girls in our class?" Nino asked which earned him a sharp glare from her as this had just caused an Akuma earlier today. "What?! It's just a questio—oww!"

Alya had punched her boyfriend in the arm for being insensitive towards the red head, Tiana noticing the way he looked between her and Marinette as he sunk into the couch.

"Yes." Nathaniel answered Nino, which surprised her as he hadn't even fully admitted to her before about his crush on Marinette. She just knew from what little she saw of his notebook and the way he looked at her at times.

Nino clapped his hands together, shooting a triumphant smirk at Alya as she had punched him moments prior. "See, he answered. It wasn't bad!" Nino argued before calming down once again.

Tiana sat up and scooted a closer to Nathaniel, giving him room to take comfort in her like earlier in the day. Almost immediately, he leaned closer to her.

Nathaniel asked Alya a question, but Tiana wasn't really paying much attention to what the question and answer was as she watched the way Marinette kept changing her glances between Adrien and her and Nathaniel.

What's going through her mind right now?

"Tiana, truth or dare?" Tiana looked up at being called by Alya, seeing the familiar devious grin that her friend held that let her know things were about to get interesting.

Deciding to play it safe for the moment, Tiana grinned right back at Alya. "Dare." Tiana replied so as not to give Alya a chance to ask anything that would put her on the spot.

Alya just grinned at her deviously for a moment before replying. "I dare you to tell us who you have a crush on." Alya challenged, Tiana scoffing as she sat up.

"That's not how it works!"

"It's still a dare though!"

"Girls, it's definitely not how that works. You gotta ask her questions during truths, not dares." Nino sided with her as Tiana shot a triumphant smirk at Alya for being right.

Groaning, Alya slumped back on the couch a little. "Fine. Tiana, I dare you to show us one of the things your talented in." Alya reluctantly changed the dare.

Tiana had to think for a second, as she didn't want to show any of her Rogue talents and risk jeopardizing her identity. After a moments though, Tiana jumped up from the couch. "Be right back then." Tiana said before dashing off out of the room to retrieve her laptop.

Fortunately, she had it up in Grandfathers studio this time instead of down in the bunker, so she didn't risk anyone following and seeing the secrets of the estate.

When she came back, she noticed a silent stare down between Alya and Marinette. "What's going on?" Tiana asked, motioning with her free hand between the two.

"Nothing!" Both of them replied at the same time as they broke their stare down. Looking to Nathaniel, it appeared that he didn't even know what was going on because he was on his phone.

Deciding not to push it, Tiana walked back over and sat down beside Nathaniel before opening her laptop.

Everyone filled in around her as she pressed her fingertips to her screen, unlocking the device.

"How did you get a password like that on a computer?" Nino asked, awestruck as Tiana opened up her sound studio software.

"The laptop was a gift from my Grandfather, he's real big on ensuring our security is good, so he ordered a specialized laptop." Tiana replied before finding the work in progress song she had been working with Grandfather on about a week ago.

"What is this?" Nathaniel asked as he motioned to the screen when Tiana turned up the volume. Usually, she has headphones plugged in. But what with five other people needing to hear, she left them back in the studio.

"My Grandfather teaches me how to compose like he does, but I do it by using recordings and composing them on this software instead of doing it the old fashion way like he does." Tiana answered before hitting play on the music.

It started with the electronic tunes that she had added, much to Grandfather's chagrin. But the familiar tune of Grandfather's violin poured through the speakers on the laptop seconds later. The beats of electronic techno and the violin intermingled perfectly, the other background instruments serving to transport her back to when they recorded all those instruments for this song.

What Tiana wouldn't do to be half the composer that Grandfather is. Listening to him play his violin is like a lullaby, one of the few things capable of making her forget that she's a toy and trophy to her mother and a failure of a General Wolf.

For a brief moment, as she listens to his violin and the way he's capable of pouring all his soul in to the instrument, she's able to feel like she's actually doing something right as she's the one helping him. She can actually feel the raw passion behind the each note, each key change and arc of his violin.

She can even still feel the keys of the piano beneath her fingertips or the stings of the guitar as she strummed to his teachings and helped with the creation of something absolutely magical.

Tiana hadn't realized she had closed her eyes until with a nudge on her shoulder they fluttered open, looking down at the screen once more as the music faded to nothingness once more.

"That was amazing!"

"Were you the one playing in that?"

"It sounded like you poured everything in to that."

Tiana closed the laptop as her friends complimented the still not quiet finished song. There was some fine tuning to be done. All the recording was done, but it wasn't completely finished.

"Did your grandfather help you with that?" Marinette asked as everyone returned to their original spots on the couch, noticing the way Nathaniel kept glancing between her and Marinette.

"Yes, he's the one who was playing the violin. I was on the piano and electronic tones. He thought it didn't need anything but the instruments, but settled for it after hearing it all together." Tiana explained with a shrug, as while Grandfather was old fashioned when it came to music he wasn't one to shut down something until he's been given enough examples to make a real critique on it.

"It sounded like you poured your soul into making that, it was so passionate." Adrien commented, Tiana just staring at him for a second at his words. If only he could actually see the emotion and work they put in to it. All the laughter and frustration and smiles as they played in harmony to create something that was a mixture of they themselves.

"Alright, so let's get back to the game then." Alya changed the subject, giving Tiana a chance to put her laptop on the coffee table before sitting back down.

Tiana thought for a second. Technically, it would be better if it were Marinette who asked Adrien the question. She was the one who wanted a relationship with him after all. So, turning her gaze to Marinette, she grinned. "Truth or Dare, Mari." Tiana challenged her friend, grinning wider upon seeing the startled look in her eyes.

With a glance at Alya, she too looked surprised. Flicking her eyes towards Adrien in silent question, Tiana sent her a quick wave to signal she knew what she was doing.

"Uh, truth I guess." Marinette answered back after a second. Receiving a worried look from her friend, she sat back and pretended she was thinking for a second.

"Stealing from Nino, do you have a crush on one of the guys in our class?" Tiana asked, waving a dismissive hand at Nino when he went to protest.

Marinette's jaw dropped for a moment before catching herself. It wasn't like she was saying to tell that it was Adrien, just that it was someone in their class of various other guys.

Marinette even looked to Alya for help, but upon receiving none reluctantly answered before grabbing one of the pillows on the couch to hide behind. "Yes."

Tiana had to fight to keep from laughing at the adorableness that was Marinette hiding behind one of the little throw pillows because she was embarrassed about a simple question.

With a quick nod towards Adrien when Marinette looked up at her, Marinette started to understand why she asked her instead of him. "Adrien, truth or dare?" Marinette asked after taking a shaky breath.

Tiana felt the way Nathaniel tensed up beside her, looking to him for a moment to see his gaze as it flickered away from Marinette. Biting her lip, she leaned over closer towards her friend, letting him find comfort over his unrequited feelings with her.

Nathaniel locked eyes with her for all of a second before looking away from her as well, still staying stock still in his spot on the couch. All she could do was blink at him, unsure if this was about earlier today or if this was about her helping Marinette with her own crush.

"Truth." Adrien replied, but then dawned a thoughtful look as he must have realized that by doing so he was risking having to tell about his own feelings.

Before Marinette could ask him her question, the doors to the living room opened. "Monsieur Roux asked to bring you all a quick bite, mademoiselle." Tiana watched as the youngest staff member of the entire estate pushed a cart full of varying foods into the room.

"Thank you, Louie." Tiana replied with a genuine smile to the boy that was maybe two or three years older than she herself. He was one of the few in the whole property that didn't give her a sad look for her family, or fall for her wolf in sheep's clothing display.

So therefore, he quickly became her most trusted non-family member of the property, only usually requesting anything from him or letting Grandfather call someone else. And he's not even been here a month.

As Tiana went to grab one of the cannoli's he set out, her hand was swatted with a napkin. "Just make sure not to ruin your appetite, your grandfather hopes to have dinner with you tonight." Louie advised her with an teasing glint in his hazel eyes, earning a roll of the eyes for swatting her hand with a napkin.

"Yes, I know." Tiana said before grabbing one anyways, making a big display of showing him she was eating it before he shook his head and left them to themselves once more.

Wiping her mouth off, Tiana noticed the cheeky smile Alya had as she looked her way. "What's that all about?" Alya asked, motioning towards the door where Louie had just left.

"What do you mean? He's my butler." Tiana answered, watching the way the others were in awe of the exquisite taste of the snacks provided by the kitchen.

"I've never seen someone treat someone working for them that way." Nino joined in with a sly smile of his own, this time Tiana scoffing at what they were getting at.

"Are we still playing, because Marinette still needs to ask a question." Tiana reminded instead of playing in to their hands.

Marinette lit up red in the middle of taking a bite of a cannoli. Her eyes flickered over to Adrien briefly, who was too engrossed in the food to even notice.

Motioning towards their distracted friend, Tiana gave her a quick thumbs up before Adrien could see their silent conspiring.

"Adrien... Do you have a crush on anyone in our class?" Marinette asked, before having to pat Adrien on the back as he must have been surprised and swallowed too big a bite.

His face was red, but it wasn't very clear if that was because of the question or his choking fit. It lasted maybe a few seconds before he was fine. Marinette even offered him a bottle of water from the cart, apologizing as he took a few sips from the bottle.

"You alright dude?" Nino asked as Adrien took another slow slip from the bottle.

"I'm fine." Adrien assured them, clearing his throat briefly before looking to Marinette beside him.

"Wasn't expecting that reaction to a simple question." Tiana teased lightly, earning a weak glare in response from the blonde before he turned red. Likely remembering he had to answer Marinette's question or risk whatever dare she could pick for him.

Though, knowing Marinette, any dare she could think of for him would probably not be as fun as what she or Alya could come up with.

"So..." Alya drawled as she waved a hand towards Adrien expectantly for his answer to Marinette's question. His skin just remained red in response to the question, looking like he was trying to carefully plan out what he was going to say.

"I...don't know if I do." Adrien replied, and immediately Tiana could see the way Marinette sank a little in her spot on the couch. "I don't know really if I do or not. It's confusing." Adrien continued while rubbing the back of his neck.

Tiana could almost feel the shattering of Marinette's heart, yanking her phone from her pocket really quick. It wasn't so bad, it wasn't like he outright said no. He said he didn't know, that it was confusing.

Maybe with time that confusion will lift and she'll be the one he develops feelings for.

Typing a quick message to her friend, she noticed the way Marinette didn't even look down at the device in her pocket but instead plucked another cannoli from the table to distract herself.

Shifting her gaze to Adrien, he looked between Marinette and them with a confused gaze in his green eyes, Tiana doing everything in her power not to glare at him. It wasn't his fault, you can't force someone to love someone. She shouldn't be mad at him for inadvertently hurting their friend.

Adrien shifted to face Nino and chose him as the next target. As Nino was answering with a dare, Marinette excused herself to use the restroom.

"It's right around the corner from here. First door on the left." Tiana directed her before she was gone.

Even as Nino was doing the dare that Adrien challenged him with, Tiana couldn't really focus. Her gaze was elsewhere as she felt guilt over knowing she had tried to help Marinette, but instead it all just lead to this pain that she undoubtedly felt.

It wasn't a definitive answer, it wasn't like he was outright saying he didn't have feelings for her! She knew the likelihood of Marinette now telling Adrien how she felt was slim, but maybe with a little more time and effort, that answer could change to a yes.

But it was obvious he did have feelings for someone just by his bodily reaction. So while it was a he doesn't know about anyone in their class, it was definitely someone else. Possibly someone in another class or whom didn't even go to their school at all.

The idea of Marinette having to compete with another girl to woo Adrien was not ideal, but she could only hope Marinette would come out on top. Why wouldn't she? She's kind, smart, talented and has felt this way about the blind blond for three years.

Adrien couldn't possibly be harboring feelings for someone else for that long too.

"-Tiana!"

Tiana looked up upon hearing her name be called, Nino looking at her expectantly as she realized she had been off in her own thoughts again.

"What?" Tiana asked, looking to the door when Marinette returned at last, looking a little better than when she had left.

"I asked you Truth or Dare but you weren't paying attention." Nino revealed with a chuckle as Tiana sat up a little straighter, noticing the worried glance from Nathaniel and choosing to ignore it for the time being.

"Truth." Tiana answered without much more thought.

"Tell us about your crush." Nino challenged her, unable to hold back the roll of her eyes at him as she should have seen that coming.

"I don't have one." Tiana replied flatly, staring him down but earning a laugh in response.

"I don't believe that. All of us here do, tell us about yours." Nino wouldn't allow her to get away from the question.

In truth, she was pretty certain that she did not have a crush on anyone. She just thought people were cute or adorable, kind and sweet yeah. But feelings wise? She didn't really think too deeply on relationships.

After all, she's been a prisoner most her life, not really much room to even consider those things.

"Why do you not believe me?" Tiana asked instead of dignifying him with an answer to his question.

"Because it's you." Alya jumped in now, Tiana realizing they must have worked together on this one. "You can't really resist cute things and not to mention you keep getting caught outside with our friendly neighborhood super cat." Alya reminded as Tiana shot her a small glare at the mention.

"I thought we agreed that I just enjoy the outdoors. If he shows up to see little sweet me, it's out of my control." Tiana said as she noticed the way Nathaniel and Adrien's eyes were on her with unreadable expressions.

"You didn't deny that you can't resist cute things though. You're really going to say you don't have feelings for anyone, even your savior?" Alya laughed when Tiana groaned at the nickname she coined for Chat Noir to her.

Realizing that her defensive mannerisms were probably what was making it so interesting for Alya and Nino to do this to her, Tiana took a deep breath and steadied herself.

It would do her no good if she let her defensive wolf side show.

"I have such a busy schedule that where would time be allotted for me to date or anything like that?" Tiana asked with an innocent smile at even the idea of dating.

"Yet you have time to go out at night and meet up with Chat Noir. I'll change the question, do you have a crush on Chat Noir?" Nino asked before both of them looked towards Adrien as he choked on his water this time.

Marinette helped him again as Tiana grabbed napkins off the cart to hand to him. "You should be more careful." Alya said as Adrien wiped at his mouth with the napkins.

After making sure that he was fine, Tiana turned back to Nino to see an expectant look in his eyes. "I barely know him. Can't really feel anything for someone you don't know. I mean, he's cute but that's about it." Tiana shrugged, before sitting upright when Adrien choked once again on his water.

"Maybe he should cut back on drinking until his coughing lets up." Nathaniel said as Nino and Alya laughed at her response about Chat Noir.

Also, being that they're on opposite sides of the law, feeling anything but amusement over tormenting him or slightly bad for the torment was all she usually felt.

"So can I take that on record then?" Alya asked after Adrien had calmed down again, grinning at her as Tiana sat back down after helping Adrien with Marinette.

"No you cannot." Tiana replied without a seconds hesitation, shaking her head as Alya and Nino laughed openly at her response.

The game continued for only a few more questions after that before everyone realized what time it was and decided to start heading out.

After Nathaniel, who was the last one left, finally left, Tiana felt Verro shift beneath her shirt before fazing through the material.

"So, about that cat." Verro began as they started heading back inside, still having plans for dinner with Grandfather.

"You know most of what I was saying was just to appease their curiosity." Tiana reminded her Kwami only to earn a scoff in return from the old wolf.

"Yeah, your own curiosity about him says NOTHING about your developing interests in him." Verro remarked as they closed the large doors behind them and started for the dining room.

"Hey, it gets boring if no one fights back against us." Tiana argued, Verro ducking into her shirt again as they walked into the dining room to find staff already setting everything out for them.

After the staff left them alone once more and Verro started to dig into his platter of meatballs, Tiana noticed the devious glint in his golden eyes as he looked at her.

"So am I assuming tonight you want to go for a run then?" Verro asked, Tiana grinning deviously at him at even the mention.

After having to deal with being frozen earlier in the day, no way will she pass up the chance to go out at night as Rogue.

* * *

 **Soon we'll see more in to the background that Tiana shares with her grandfather over their musical abilities!**

 **Before I say anything else, I apologize if there have been any errors or typos in any of the chapters. The software I use for writing has a tendency to replace words or letters on its own because it thinks I'm incorrect and I don't always see it. Thank you all for putting up with it, when I have some free time I'll go back through every chapter to fix it up.**

 **Also, posting early again today because I yet again have errands to run when I usually post. Sorry!**

 **I'm way behind on writing right now, this is the last chapter I have written. I'm sorry, I've been busy! I know there's no excuse, but if I post later on the next chapter I'm sorry. I'll try to catch up, I promise! I'm going to go work on the next chapter, so I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	16. A Story

Chat's eyes followed the darting figure in the distance, taking mental note of the way she'd stop and examine buildings before moving on. Like she was sizing up new challenges.

Chat hung back a good distance away from the wolf as he watched her, taking the opportunity to watch her and learn before their next fight. Though, after the Dark Gem incident and how she came out of nowhere to help a child, he had to wonder about her alignment a little more.

This was the first time he's even seen her since that night, surprised a little that she hadn't shown until now as he would have thought she'd commit another crime soon.

Rogue Wolf stopped on another roof, peering down through a skylight before continuing on once more. Staying back still, Chat continued to follow and watch.

Ladybug still had a growing dislike for the wolf, even knowing how she had technically helped a civilian. She didn't deny that the wolf could be good, but didn't hesitate to point out that she chose to be bad like she was.

Chat himself wasn't sure how to feel about her right now. She was cunning, quick and skillful. But she also had what Hawk Moth seemed to lack, she had sympathy and unwillingness to let someone whom she perceived at the time as being innocent have ill will done unto them.

True to her neutral claim, she had the ability to swing from one side of the moral spectrum to another if she so chose. So why was it then that she chose to be like this, instead of just choose a side? He'd never heard of a neutral Miraculous holder before her.

Rogue stopped up ahead, ears shifting atop her head. For a moment, Chat thought he'd been caught. But then a line shot out of her belt and into the roof, the wolf repelling down the side of the building.

Silently watching her, Chat noticed the way she pulled her goggles over her eyes before she peered through a window. Even before touching the glass of it. Looking closer, he noticed she was sizing up another museum.

But after a second of just looking, she came back up the zip line and onto the roof, moving on once again.

She's not planning on hitting every building she's taking extra time to look at is she?

Jumping to another roof to follow her, Chat's foot suddenly slipped on a loose shingle, slamming noisily down to the roof as the shingle fell to the ground below and shattered.

Regaining his composure quickly, Chat jumped up in time to see Rogue run off across the rooftops away from him.

Without hesitating, Chat took off after her once more.

Dropping to all fours as she had done, Chat began to gain on her as they bounded over the rooftops, dodging as shingles went flying from their run.

Out of nowhere, Rogue skid off the ledge of one roof. Jumping over, he caught her by the hand before she could drop, looking down as she scrabbled for footing against the bricks.

"Why Rogue, you're not falling for me already are you?" Chat asked teasingly before beginning to pull her back up onto the roof so she wouldn't have to drop forty feet.

After getting her halfway back onto the roof, she got her own footing as she pushed herself the rest of the way up. Unfortunately, she landed right on top of him as he let go of her hand in place of her upper arms.

Rogue blinked down at him for a moment before dawning a sly smirk. "Oh, asking the wolf if she's falling for you, but yet you pull her atop you? Naughty _chaton_ , aren't you?" Rogue mused before with a smirk of his own, he swiped her off his lap and to his side.

Rogue pouted up at him as he stood back up, brushing himself off as he looked down on her. "So what are you up to this time, wolf?" Chat asked instead of continuing with the bantering, stepping back as Rogue stood back up now as well.

"Well, as you might believe I was falling for you." Rogue quipped with a cheeky smile at him as she adjusted the goggles over her eyes.

"Yeah, can't blame you really. I mean, who could pass this up?" Chat flexed his arms with a cocky smile on her before striking a pose.

Rogue smirked at him in response. "Well I know one person who's passed it up." Chat's ego immediately deflated once more at her words, glaring weakly at the wolf for having to be a kill joy.

"You can't help yourself." Chat muttered before stepping back as she took a step closer to him.

"I am a wolf, after all. I wouldn't be a good one if I wasn't a little naughty every so often." Rogue said with a devious smirk, but her words reminded him of his earlier thoughts about her alignment.

"Speaking of that, about Dark Gem." Chat began only for Rogue to walk past him as though he was no longer interesting. "Hey!"

"I'm not interested in talking about the tantrum throwing con artist." Rogue replied to him simply as she walked towards the other end of the roof languidly.

Con artist? "What do you mean by that?" Chat questioned, stopping her before she could take off by grabbing her upper arm once more.

Rogue looked down at his claws on her arm before smirking at him once more. "Oh, you still haven't figured it out? Your enemy Hawk Moth akumatized a fellow thief. I thought I told you and your lady that they might not have gotten their jewels by legal and justified means." Rogue revealed with a Cheshire grin at him as the gears started spinning.

Was she telling him the truth, or was she lying to cover for her own misdeeds? Dark Gem was genuinely upset by the loss of his property to the point where Hawk Moth was able to reach him, but does that mean he was the rightful owner of said gems?

"It's got you thinking now, does it?" Chat stepped back as those goggle covered golden eyes blocked his vision suddenly, releasing her upper arm.

"That's not important right now. What I want to know is about the girl you saved." Chat changed the topic and earned a bored expression in response.

"You're wanting to know about the girl I prevented from being turned into jewelry? Well aren't you boring..." Rogue muttered the latter half of her words, smiling innocently at him as he propped his claws on his hips.

"You act like the big bad wolf, but yet you rescued an innocent little girl. Hell, you tried distracting me that night on the Eiffel tower from thinking about Ladybug. Doesn't sound like a big bad wolf to me." Chat said with a small, teasing smile at Rogue as she simply looked on at him in silence.

"Well I did say neutral." Rogue reminded with a nod of her head before pivoting on her heel to try to walk away once again.

"Yeah, you did." Chat began as he followed after her once again, stepping in front of her path before she could get to the edge of the roof. "But what kind of neutral would help her enemies by calming them down, or help rescue one of the citizens that they protect?" Chat questioned with a knowing smile that his words were more true than her own.

Rogue Wolf was a neutral, but maybe she leaned more towards the side of good than the bad side.

"Oh are we enemies? I thought we were just a cat, wolf and ladybug taking turns running around in costumes at night." Rogue replied with a smirk once more present on her lips.

Chat didn't let her get to him though, instead he just continued to smile knowingly at her. "Yeah? Well you're not such a bad wolf from the looks of it anymore if you exchange the opportunity to steal from our city with distracting me from my lady." Chat pointed out before reaching over and tapping a claw on the tip of her nose teasingly.

Rogue scrunched her nose up at the action, rubbing it after a second with a new mildly annoyed frown on her lips. If he were closer, he's sure he'd see her eyes through the goggles also showing her annoyance.

"Perhaps what that was is just that I was bored. Gotta think outside the box, kitty cat." Rogue quipped after rubbing her nose again like his touch was foul.

"Bored?" Chat laughed at her lame excuse before taking another step closer. "If you were bored, you would have gone and committed a crime. Just admit it, Rogue Wolf. Either you're not as bad as you claim, or you're growing sweet on me." Chat puffed his chest out proudly as he smiled down at the wolf woman in front of him.

Rogue smirked at him once again, before taking a step closer to him as well now. "Now, I wouldn't say that. After all, you are the flirt of Paris, chaton. As purroven by how you're not only chasing ladybugs, but normal civilian girls as well." Chat's pride diminished as he realized who she was referring to. "Yeah, I have such good hearing kitty. I know about your night time antics with the women of Paris." Chat frowned at her as she was doing the same thing everyone has done to him one time or another.

"I'm not a womanizer." Chat argued with her, but she only laughed at him.

"No? Then why not just pick one lady and stick with her?" Rogue challenged his words once her laughter had died. Maybe there was more bad to this wolf than good...

"I have, and that's Ladybug. I don't know what you think you've heard-"

"What I know I've heard."

"But I'm loyal to only one woman, and that is Ladybug. I've never denied it, I never will deny it. She is the only woman I have eyes for." Chat admitted honestly, proudly even. He loved her, he's loved her for so long now.

Chat would never jeopardize any chances he could have with Ladybug by having some fling with other girls. Even if the likelihood at the moment of Ladybug loving him back one day is slim...

Another pout presented itself on Rogue's lip, bottom lip jutting out as she raised a paw and moved her goggles up off of her eyes. "Oh, and what am I then? Just a cute little distraction?" Rogue asked as Chat spied the mischief in her golden eyes.

Smirking back at her, he leaned closer to her. "Admit that you're growing a soft spot for me, wolfie, and I'll tell you just how I feel about you." Chat bargained with her, noticing a thoughtful look take over the mischievous one she had before.

With a swish of her tail, she turned away from him once again. "Would you like to hear a story, kitty?" Rogue asked, catching him off guard from how easily she changed the subject.

"A story?" Chat asked incredulously, following Rogue as she walked away from him again. She stopped when she came to a chimney, climbing up onto it and sitting down.

"Long ago, there was a wolf without a care in the world. He was loved by all, idolized by children and longed after by man and women alike. He did his duty every day, protecting them. Keeping them safe to see another day, and he was happy." Rogue pulled her goggles down over her eyes as she spoke.

What's this have to do with what they were talking about?

"One day, an ordinary day, he was out enjoying the unusually warm night. Out of nowhere, he spied a figure soaring through the skies unlike anything he's ever seen. So he chased after it, all the way until it landed at the river. It was there that he realized it was a she, and that she was the both feared and loved dragon." Rogue even sounded excited by her own story.

"The wolf was amazed by the dragon, he'd never seen any others like himself. He thought he was alone, until that moment when they met. She was so different than he had expected any who masqueraded about at night like he did would be, and soon they began to get to know each other. They shared how both of them felt happiest in the whole world when they got to become their other selves."

"But, soon the wolf began to realize his happiness was even greater when the dragon was around. He began thinking, feeling like there was something not quiet right if she wasn't there to meet him at night. It wasn't long after that he realized that in his days and nights of being loved by the citizens he pledged himself to, he never realized that deep down he was lonely."

"So, when the wolf found the dragon nights later, he told her how he felt. He told her that his real happiness was with her. That he would pledge his all for her and the shared happiness and love that they could create together."

Chat noticed how Rogue's voice wavered a little as the story went on, beginning to wonder if this was really a story or a recount of another wolf's past.

"But the dragon did the one thing the wolf had not expected, she revealed that she in her civilian life was already pledged to another. That she could not give the wolf the one thing he believed at that moment would give him his real happiness. The dragon promised to always be there for him, but told him that she could not be there for him in the way he desired."

"The wolf was heartbroken, shattered even. But even in his pain, even with the misery he felt over knowing that the one he loved could not be his, he refused to give up. He promised to be there for the dragon, willing and waiting for her for when she would be ready to share with him the happiness that he knew she felt with him too."

Chat felt like his heart was throbbing against his rib cage at her tale, thinking about all the times he's tried to show Ladybug how he feels, promised to himself to stick it out until the day when she realized his feelings were true and she returned them for him.

"The dragon begged him not to wait on her, to find his mate in life and create the happiness he desired so. But even as she begged, the wolf could not ignore the miserable tears she shed. Knowing that he was not the only one hurt by their inability to be together. The wolf refused to try to find another when the one she was wanting him to find was she herself."

"Time went on, and not much changed. The wolf still loved the dragon even as he watched from afar as she created new life, a family that he wished could have been both of theirs. The pain so deep, the wolf tried to do as she asked and find another. But after many failed attempts, the wolf found himself in her own situation. Stuck with one he did not love, but new life that drew him further away from the one he did love."

"Years dragged on endlessly, and both wolf and dragon found mild comfort in their children. But as the children grew, and they with their relationship did not, they realized that they could no longer take the dull throb of something missing in their hearts."

Chat wiped at his eyes, holding back the familiar sting in his eyes at her story. He knew how painful it could be to love someone for so long but not be able to have them. Upon looking up, he noticed Rogue readjusting her goggles, wondering if she knew just how painful that could be.

"But at last as they came together, forgetting about their replacements for the other that they had in civilian life, they found another predicament. Instead, their children had managed to find one another, and seemed to have found in one another what the wolf and the dragon were finally hoping to share."

"The wolf knew he would never cease to love his dragon, and she knew the same. But in that moment, they realized that no matter how strong their love was, they couldn't be. They chose after all those years of waiting and pining for one another, that they would in a second put it aside just to ensure that their children wouldn't suffer the same."

"The children found the love which the wolf and dragon created together, and their parents realized that even if they couldn't be together, they could find their real happiness in knowing their children wouldn't suffer as they did. So they watched as the love grew between their children, happy enough that their children were happy."

"Even though deep down they still and always will love one another."

Rogue went silent with that statement, adjusting her goggles still as Chat took a moment to compose himself. If that story was real, and there really was a former wolf and dragon out there that weren't allowed the chance to be together fully, what could that mean for himself and Ladybug?

Was it just a stroke of misfortune, or was that what Miraculous users were forced to endure? Serving the innocent but never truly happy.

"Why did you tell me that story?" Chat asked after another minute of silence to regain his composure and internally mourn the star crossed lovers that could not be.

"Because you told me to tell you I was growing sweet on you. That story right there is the testament to why I don't let myself grow soft on anyone." Rogue replied in a quieter than usual voice, jumping off the chimney and facing away from him.

Chat stared at her in silence as she looked out at the city around them. "Was that story true?" Chat asked after much hesitation over not knowing if he really wanted to know if that situation was a possibility.

"Yes, it was true." Rogue answered with no hesitation unlike himself.

Chat felt his heart sink as the possibility that he could never actually be with Ladybug became much more real. He didn't want to be like the wolf and the dragon, he wanted to be with Ladybug and show her that she meant the world to him. That he would give her the world, the moon, the stars, anything he could just to show her how much she meant to him.

"It really brings things into perspective, doesn't it?" Rogue asked without looking at him, Chat watching as she reached a hand up towards her goggles once again.

"Do you know how much it hurts to love someone but not be able to be with them?" Chat asked without really thinking, and at that Rogue turned to face him.

"I know you and your lady think I'm just some heartless thief, but I do actually feel. I watched the pain in the old wolf's eyes as he told me that story, felt every jab and stab and throb of pain that he felt over not being allowed to have her." Rogue's voice was quiet but deep with a snarl of disdain at his question, golden eyes smoldering at him. "I sometimes wonder if it was because of who they were, because of the job or the fame that came with it. Not a day goes by that I don't find at least one moment where I feel absolutely heartbroken for the old wolf." Rogue snarled before turning away from him once more.

Chat's ears flattened to his hair as he watched the moody wolf round the chimney and leave his sight, not following her for a moment as he let her have a second to herself.

"So because of them you don't let yourself get close to others the way they got to one another." Chat surmised as he crept around the chimney to find her leaning against it. "Is that why you helped me that night then, so I wouldn't suffer like the wolf did?" Chat asked her, but got a grunt in return as he watched her move her goggles one again.

"No, I helped you because I was bored." Rogue repeated the same thing she said earlier to him.

Chat just stared at her for a moment before stepping forward. Putting his back to the chimney beside her, he let silence take them over once again.

Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the way Rogue's body language radiated a mixture of anger and sorrow. He's never seen her like this...

It felt weird to acknowledge that Rogue actually had feelings like a normal person, instead of just being a cunningly devious wolf that has bouts of kindness that he's come to see her as.

When Rogue slid down to a sitting position against the brick of the chimney, he sat down with her. "Why are you still here? I'm not committing a crime this time." Rogue pointed out as he watched the way she kept her gaze away from him.

Looking closer, he could faintly see her golden eyes through the lenses of the goggles, noticing when they flickered to him briefly before looking away.

Without another word, Chat leaned over and grasped her goggles in his claws. Pulling them up, Rogue struggled against him briefly before they were up on her forehead once more.

"You know, I thought you were a wolf. Not a puppy." Chat teased her lightly once her golden eyes were fully visible to him.

Rogue blinked at him for a moment before swatting his hand that was closest to her. He couldn't help but laugh at her, looking away because of how adorable the kicked puppy look she had was.

"Rude little chaton, calling me a puppy? I've been at this job much longer than you have, kitty cat." Rogue lectured him as he continued laughing at her.

He knew the concept of how long she's been doing this for was important, but after listening to that story and moping on what could happen between himself and Ladybug, he just wanted to laugh for the moment at Rogue's kicked ego.

Chat continued laughing at her well past being swatted enough times to lose count, finally coming to an end when he heard the sound of the wolf laughing instead.

Looking over, Rogue was covering her mouth with one paw to try to contain her laughter as she looked at him. Her golden eyes shimmering in the pale moonlight with amusement now instead of annoyance.

It was a much kinder sight than seeing her saddened by the story she told.

Chat reached over and snatched her by the wrist, pulling her hand away from her mouth to hear her laughter fully. It was much different from the mocking laughs or the triumphant ones he's heard from her in the past, it was more jovial and contagious.

Together they sat and laughed for who knows how much longer until it finally began to subside as Chat felt like his sides were ready to burst. It felt nice to be able to just sit and laugh when he's Chat, instead of running around and making sure Hawk Moth hadn't gotten another unsuspecting citizen.

"What were we even laughing at?" Rogue asked, voice slightly wheezy as she tried to catch her breath.

Chat was sure his own voice was probably no better.

Leaning his head back against the bricks, Chat took a deep breath to calm himself a little better from the laugh attack. "Because you looked like a kicked puppy." Chat answered with a cheeky smile at her, suddenly feeling tired after all the laughter.

Looking out at the city once more, Chat surprisingly felt relaxed even knowing that the wolf beside him wasn't technically an ally.

Chat looked over as he felt a pressure on his shoulder, looking down at her in surprise as she leaned her shoulder against his own. Looking up at her gaze, she had closed her eyes as she leaned against him.

Chat just watched her for a moment, the way she looked so relaxed and carefree. How her wolf ears would twitch each time there was any sound in the distance much like his own. How her tail laid carefully against her thigh much like his own tail was draped over his own leg.

Chat leaned into her as well, unable to deny just how nice it felt to be close to someone after that tragic story. How he wished it could be Ladybug...

A duo of beeps dragged him out of the reprieve of comfort, lifting his hand to look down at his ring as another paw faded. Damn...

"Looks like you're almost out of time, kitty." Rogue spoke first, pulling away from him and alerting him to the drop in warmth. Was she really that warm that he didn't even notice until she was gone?

"Try not to miss me too much when I leave." Chat teased as he leaned forward, stretching his back and legs before standing up.

Rogue snorted at his words, drawing another laugh from him that in turn caused more of her own. "Don't have to tell me twice, that's never happened before now and it won't happen after you leave." Rogue replied after another minute of laughter.

"Aw come on, you're saying you won't miss me even a little?" Chat asked as Rogue propped herself up on all fours, stretching out herself in a way that made him wonder if she did yoga from how odd it looked.

"Nah, I've got enough things in my civilian life to keep me occupied. Try not to miss me though. I'll be sure to give you and your lady something to remember very soon." Rogue mused with a conniving grin, standing up as he watched her carefully.

"So you were sizing up buildings to break into then?" Chat asked, folding his arms over his chest as Rogue just continued to smile that devious smile.

"I wouldn't say that." Rogue shrugged but none the less continued smiling.

Chat just shook his head at her before smiling confidently at her. "Well, I can promise you that you're going to have a hard time getting past either of us." Chat assured her before his ring beeped once more at him.

"Can't stop me if you run out of time. _Adieu_ , kitty cat!" With that quick farewell, two zip lines shot from Rogue's belt and she shot forward and off the roof, disappearing with a howl.

Chat stood there for a moment longer before making his escape as well, barely making it back to his room before he de-transformed.

Giving Plagg his usual plate of Camembert, Adrien slumped down into his computer chair.

As he sat there in the somewhat silence, somewhat because of Plagg belching and moaning with delight at his dinner, he thought back on the night.

Turning his chair, he booted up his computer. Once it was ready, he typed away quickly.

Within seconds, a picture of two General Wolves was on the monitor. Side by side, one was much older than the other. Also, the older one was of a man, instead of the girl that he's grown used to seeing as the General Wolf.

Was this the man that Rogue told of, who loved a fellow Miraculous holder but could never truly share that love with her?

"What are you doing?" Plagg interrupted his thoughts by floating in front of his face, holding his last piece of cheese in his tiny paws.

"You heard that story she told me earlier. I want to know if it's really true. Is that what could happen to Ladybug and I?" Adrien asked the little black cat as he swallowed the last piece of cheese in one bite.

"Why are we talking about this? It's so pointless, who cares about dating or feelings for anything that isn't Camembert." Plagg blew raspberries at the idea, turning around to face his monitor.

Without much more thought, Plagg proceeded to close out of the tab on his internet browser and open another for himself. "Plagg!" Adrien tried to pull him away from the keyboard, not yet finished researching the old General Wolf.

"What? It doesn't matter, it's not you. It's just some old holders who drew bad hands in that aspect of their lives. Besides, you're so afraid to say anything to Ladybug that it probably won't ever lift off the ground." Plagg said bluntly as he opened up YouTube on his monitor to watch.

"Gee Plagg, you're such a big comfort." Adrien replied sarcastically as he sank back into his chair.

"I know, I'm amazing aren't I?" Plagg asked without even glancing back at him.

"I was being sarcastic." Adrien revealed, but Plagg only began laughing as he started watching funny videos on the monitor.

Why did he have to get the insensitive Kwami? Was this what Ladybug and Rogue Wolf dealt with as well?

Adrien turned away from Plagg and pulled out his phone to search up the old wolf, finding stories on the old hero of Paris dating back over the last century. He was in action for a long time, hopefully he and Ladybug would be able to stick around as long as he did.

As he was searching, he came across an old photo of the white haired man standing beside a reptilian woman, realizing who this was. This was the dragon that Rogue told the old wolf had fallen in love with!

Going by the name Drakon was the raven haired women who fell for the old General. "Ooh it's her again. Isn't she fiery." Adrien turned to see Plagg hovering over his shoulder and drooling over the intimidating women in the picture.

"You know her?" Adrien asked, motioning to his phone.

"Of course, who doesn't know the tales of the General Wolf and his Lady Drakon. Two Miraculous that typically despise one another, but in their case end up as partners. I wish she'd be our partner." Plagg purred as he continued drooling.

Turning his screen off, he glared at Plagg. "So that story was true and you knew the whole time?" Adrien asked, trying to control his annoyance with his Kwami.

"Like I said, they were dealt a bad hand and had to deal with it. Doesn't mean it will happen to you and Ladybug. I'm more curious about the fact that you're getting closer to that shifty wolf." Plagg mused with a smirk now cast on him.

"Rogue Wolf and I aren't important, she's still a thief and I'm still a hero. When it comes down to it, I'll do my job and stop her every chance I get from stealing anything else." Adrien reminded the teasing little cat.

"Oh really, even though she keeps stealing your attention?" Plagg asked with a laugh as Adrien groaned at him.

"Don't act like her." Adrien chastised before Plagg floated back over to the monitor.

"Why, will you start leaning on me and staring at me after laughing for fifteen minutes?" Plagg asked through his laughter at the videos on the screen.

Ugh. Well, even if he's the worst at comforting, he's still able to distract him just by being annoying.

* * *

 **I'm glad I got this chapter written in time! I've been so busy recently I thought this one might be late!**

 **I've been so excited to get to the tale of the Wolf and the Drakon, I've had that one planned out for a while now. We'll learn more about it, eventually, but I figured I'd ask you guys if you'd like a little side chapter dedicated to the real story there, from the view of General Wolf and Drakon. I probably won't get to it for a little while, but I wanted to hear how you guys feel about it.**

 **Those little moments between Chat and Rogue were so cute, too bad Ladybug's always missing for those exchanges. But, Rogue did point out she's got something planned for the two heroes, we'll find out what that is soon enough.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with me through all these chapters so far! I'm sorry if anything looks rushed or such, I've just been too busy. I hopefully will still be posting Monday, but at the moment I'm unsure as a friend just went into the hospital and I'd like to help as much as I can. Forgive me if I'm late Monday! But I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	17. More Than Meets The Eye

Tiana spun her chair around as her new security monitors started lighting up and blaring a warning through the speakers.

"I hate those things." Verro growled from where he laid on the couch nearby, chewing on a raw hide while King laid on the floor doing the same.

"Hey, it gives us a heads up if someone is entering the property that isn't here regularly." Tiana reminded her furry friend before opening the security camera feed on the screen, humming with interest as she saw not one but four faces, three she having not seen on the property until now.

"Whats the blonde doing here?" Verro asked, hovering near her shoulder now.

"I have no idea, but that's his father with him and if I remember correctly, the big burly one is his bodyguard." Tiana advised before leaning back to see what was going on.

Grandfather walked into view, arms out wide in welcome to the guests before jovially shaking Mr. Agreste's hand. Oh that's right, Grandfather knew the man from a few projects. Maybe they were just here for another project.

Turning up the speakers, she began to hear the conversation. "So you're here for Delphine, right? I wondered why she wasn't working from the theater today." Grandfather spoke as he leaned on his cane, likely smiling at the four but from the angle she put the camera at she couldn't see his face.

"We have an appointment today. Mrs. Serafini requested my assistance in the creation of the costumes for her show." Mr. Agreste spoke with a cold tone that made her wonder about him. He sounded so cold and harsh, but yet this man was the father of one of her most happy and positive friends?

"Of course, of course. I would expect no less than for her to bring in the best for the task." Grandfather said with a wave of his cane, before angling his head towards Adrien who was stood beside a raven haired professional looking woman. "Am I to assume you'll be helping your father, or are you here for my grand daughter again today?" Grandfather asked her friend, but Mr. Agreste cut in before Adrien could even open his mouth.

"He will be visiting with your grand daughter again, he's already helped me more than enough with the preliminaries for the designs Mrs. Delphine desires." Mr. Agreste replied before with a nod, Grandfather waved his cane in the direction of where mother has her office in the estate.

As they started to move, she noticed as Grandfather looked up at the camera, sending her a wink to let her know he knew where she was as well as a silent warning to get back topside.

"Well, I guess we're not getting a day just to ourselves." Verro muttered, grabbing his raw hide off the couch and flying off to likely hide it somewhere.

"We can come back down here once they leave. I'm sure they won't be here long, Adrien's father is supposed to be a busy man." Tiana said before Verro flew towards the door, racing after him to try to beat him out of the bunker.

Racing up the gloomily lit stairs, they both laughed to their hearts content as they were nearly neck and neck. It was fun to compete against one another at times.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Verro popped away for a second to ensure the coast was clear before she made her way out. After he came back with a nod, she pressed her hand to the glowing scanner beside the stairs.

With a grinding of stone moving, the wall in front of them moved aside as the statue on the other side slide the other way, jumping through the entrance quickly before it slammed back shut.

It wasn't the best of secret entrances, but it still worked just fine to keep the secret that was the Wolves Den below hidden.

Now back upstairs, she just needed to find Grandfather and the others. Or let them find her.

"I'm bored already." Verro complained from his hiding place in her shirt.

"Let's let them find us then." Tiana replied before heading off for Grandfather's studio. It wasn't far from Mother's office, so if they just looked around a little they'd find her.

Once in the room that overlooked the auditorium below, she settled herself in to Grandfather's office chair. His computer was already on, likely having been working on composing another masterpiece before the guests arrived.

Verro remained hidden inside of her shirt as she opened up all the audio files and editing software, poking his head out of the collar of her shirt every few seconds.

"I think they're going to be this way here soon." Verro alerted after popping his head out of her shirt once again.

"I would assume so, Mother doesn't typically allow Grandfather to stay around her when she's working for too long unless he's helping with the orchestra." Tiana reminded as she sifted through the audio files, cutting them together just as Grandfather had taught her.

"You know, I sometimes wonder why she can't tolerate him for very long." Verro commented, earning a quick swat that earned her a bark of indignation.

"It's between Grandfather and her. It's none of our business." Tiana continued to remind him as he growled and hid back inside her shirt.

Focusing, she understood why he hid again as she heard the footsteps approaching the room.

"There she is, just as I thought. Please, feel free to go in and join her." Grandfather's voice drifted into the room from behind the closed door. A moment later, it opened with a quiet squeak before she turned to face a sheepish looking Adrien.

"Hey, I didn't expect anyone to be coming over today." Tiana greeted with an innocent smile to mask that she saw his arrival.

"My father is working with your mother today, I'm not interrupting or bothering you by coming with him am I?" Adrien asked as Tiana waved him into the room, ignoring the quiet words from Verro where he hid.

"Not at all, I'm just cutting together audio files." Tiana revealed as she waved Adrien to the chair that was set aside for when both she and Grandfather would be working together on composing.

Once he pulled the chair over beside her own and sat down, she watched as he looked over the computer screens with a look of amazement. "I thought you worked on music with your Grandfather." Adrien commented as she worked, flickering her gaze to him for a moment.

"Most of the time, yes. But when I get bored or inspired I work on it alone too." Tiana said before playing some of the tracks to see if they cut together right.

They were quiet as the music flowed quietly from the speakers. Glancing to Adrien for his reaction, he seemed to be in thought.

"Was it that good or that bad?" Tiana asked jokingly, smiling at him when he looked up at her. He returned the smile, but only halfheartedly.

"It was amazing, passionate. It's sounded very emotional, like you and your Grandfather put a lot of your emotions into it." Adrien explained as he leaned back in his chair. "Part of it...sounded painful even." Tiana controlled herself from showing the surprise she felt over how he could understand that from just little snippets of the files she put together thus far.

Tiana looked away from him and back at the computer screen, not wanting to think about what she knew Grandfather was feeling as he played his violin for the song. Or what she was feeling as she played the piano in tune to him.

Being the holder to the Wolf Miraculous had its perks. The strong feelings of empathy though were both a blessing and a curse however. She's spent nearly three years trying to rid herself of that, and for the most part has succeeded.

But doing so with her family, with those who are closer to her and who she knows and knows her in turn on a personal level, that was a much harder task.

"Are you alright?" Adrien dragged her out of her thoughts, forcing a smile as she turned to him again and hoping he wouldn't see through.

"I'm fine, just criticizing my editing of the music." Tiana tried to assure him, finding another source to drag the attention away from her dreary thoughts as her phone vibrated from its place in her pocket.

Pulling it out, she was surprised to see it was Marinette texting her. Surprised mainly due to since the little game of truth or dare, she's been a little less social with her out of school. She couldn't blame her, it did hurt her to hear that the boy she's been crushing on for three years was indecisive about if he had feelings for any of his classmates.

"Alya harassing you for another interview?" Adrien asked teasingly, fortunately going with the flow of change of conversation.

"No, she has no reason to right now. It's Marinette." Tiana said as she typed back a response to her question of if she was doing anything today. She just hoped it didn't bother her that Adrien was over her estate when they weren't here too.

"Is everything alright with her? She's kind of been more quiet the last week, I asked her but she just told me everything was fine." Adrien scratched the back of his neck with the last part, Tiana restraining the desire to be sassy with him.

"I think that question is better suited for her than me, it's not my place to say." Tiana answered him honestly, smiling softly at him when he dawned a confused look. "She's fine, don't worry about that. She's just got a lot on her mind recently." Tiana said to try to ease his confusion a little more. Or at least keep him from worrying too much.

At this point, Tiana didn't really know how to help with the whole situation. She couldn't force Adrien to feel something for Marinette just because Marinette wanted it, that wouldn't be fair to either of them. And she couldn't tell Marinette to tell Adrien how she felt, that could possibly jeopardize their friendship should he react the wrong way.

It was just one big mess, that's what this all was.

Phone vibrating on the desk where she placed it, she picked it back up to find a response from Marinette. Adrien sighing drew her attention from typing a response to Marinette's curios excitement over Adrien being over with her.

Looking to the blond, he appeared to be in thought once again. "I've told her she could come to me if she needs help or just needs someone to talk to. I'm glad she's at least talking to you and Alya, but it bothers me a little that she's putting me in the dark again." Adrien revealed while leaning his head against the back of his chair, eyes closing as his words faded.

The familiar twinge in her chest had her put her phone away, not wanting to see her friend upset over something that wasn't truly his fault. It had to do with him, yes. But that didn't make it his fault that Marinette was hurt by his candid honesty.

"I'm sure she'll come to you soon, don't let it bother you." Tiana offered a few quiet words to draw Adrien from his thoughts. "It's just girl issues, it's nothing you'd really be able to help with at this moment. She just needs some time to think it over on her own." Tiana explained before her eyes caught with his own.

The way he was looking at her like he was amazed by her words earned him a soft smile, before her phone vibrating on the desk interrupted them once again.

As she went to reach for it to at least move it back to her pocket and out of sight, Adrien leaned forward in his chair. "Thank you, Tiana. I'm glad she has you to talk to, you're a big help to me with even just those few words." Adrien praised her with a kind smile and twinkle in his bright green eyes.

"Well what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you." Tiana said, punctuating the end of her sentence with a giggle before someone clearing their throat behind them snapped them out of their conversation.

Turning to the door, Louie was stood directly behind them. She was a little amazed that she hadn't heard him, but then again they were talking. "I brought drinks for you both." Louie offered them each a bottle of water with a warm smile.

Taking the bottles, Adrien thanked the young man first as Tiana placed her own bottle on the desk. "Thank you Louie, thank Grandfather for me as well." Tiana said before Louie bowed and left them to themselves once more.

"Why did you ask him to thank your Grandfather?" Adrien asked once Louie was gone from the room.

"Because Grandfather likely told him to bring us something." Tiana replied, as she knew she hadn't even told Louie that she was coming up to the studio today. Last she spoke to him, she told him she was going to be watching some movies.

"Your Grandfather's always watching out for you, isn't he?" Adrien asked with a gentle smile, Tiana not failing to notice the longing in his gaze as well. She knew his relationship with his Father wasn't that great, but the man at least watched out for his son. Right?

"He is. He watches out for all who he considers family or friends." Tiana advised her friend whom she began to wonder if he was ever as okay as he claimed.

"Even considering how intimidating he can be, that's amazing that he will try to help and protect everyone he cares about." Adrien commented with a genuine smile this time, now devoid of the longing she spied before.

Tiana laughed at the factor of her Grandfather's intimidating appearance at times. "If you think he's intimidating to you during practice, you really haven't seen anything yet, Agreste." Tiana finished her sentence with that teasing nickname and a pat on his shoulder, grinning cheekily at him as he returned a mocking laugh.

"Well, Tatiana, I think I'm good with what I've seen so far. I'd rather not be on the opposite end of his intimidation tactics or anger." Adrien said and Tiana couldn't help herself from laughing at that.

No, of course not. You never want to get on the bad side of a wolf. They'll rip you to shreds in a heart beat to protect the ones they love and still toy with you even as you're writhing in pain.

"Well, off topic from my family, why don't you show me what kind of music it is that you're interested in. I'm sure you must get bored of listening to this musical composition stuff what with us having to do it at least once a week." Tiana said as she closed out of the editing software on the computer and opened up the web browser.

"Not really, I mean I get bored of it but I also have piano lessons three times a week at home. So I'm used to it." Adrien revealed with a shrug, peaking Tiana's interest at the mention of his piano skills.

"Oh? Here I thought you were still kind of new to the piano from the scales we do in class." Tiana teased lightly with a smile, passing the keyboard to Adrien to allow him to show her what his musical preferences were.

"No, I've been taking lessons for years." Adrien either didn't notice her teasing nature, or chose to ignore it for the time being as he tapped away quickly at the keyboard before hitting enter.

As the sounds of pop rock music began to flow from the speakers, Tiana felt her phone vibrate once more from her pocket. Pulling it out, she found a few unread messages from Marinette, but the one that just came through was from Alya.

" _We're on our way over girl, let's have some fun today! - Alya_ "

On their way over? What does she mean by fun, they weren't planning something just because Adrien was here, were they?

"You alright?" Adrien asked as she put her phone back on the desk.

"Yeah, I'm fine. By the way, I didn't peg you for the pop music kind of guy, Agreste." Tiana teased him more obviously this time, sticking her tongue out even as Adrien tapped at the keyboard again.

"Hey, it's also rock. Besides, I don't like just one genre of music, I like anything that just sounds good to me at the time of hearing it." Adrien explained, causing Tiana to end her teasing early due to surprise from his words.

The way he explained it sounded much like her own preferences towards music. She liked lots of different kinds of music, but while she had never heard of many other having that taste she just thought it was because she worked with music more than the normal teenager.

As Adrien started another song, Tiana immediately noticed that it was another mix of pop, but the lyrics had her thinking. The male singer lamenting about the girl he loved but couldn't have...

Adrien had said he was uncertain about having feelings for anyone in their class, but there was always the possibility of a girl outside of their class or even one who didn't go to their school. He was a blushing stuttering mess during the game, perhaps there was actually a girl...

Judging by his thoughtful look on the song choice, she would think it wise to assume so as well.

"Particular reason for the song choice?" Tiana asked, smiling softly when Adrien's gaze snapped to her and a pink color rose to his cheeks.

"No..." Adrien trailed off after just that one word, Tiana leveling him with a curious gaze and a tilt of the head that always worked to worm more information out of people due to taking advantage of her planned cuteness.

Grandfather always did say she took the qualities of a wolf on more than he ever did when he worked with Verro.

"Alright, I'll bargain with you. I'll show you a song I think describes me pretty well, but I want to know the reasoning behind that song that you chose." Tiana offered as she took the keyboard from the blond boy beside her.

Adrien looked to be thinking on it for a second as she tapped away at the keyboard herself this time. But before hitting enter, she gave him an expecting look. "Alright, fine." Adrien agreed quietly, Tiana holding back the urge to coo at the adorableness of him pouting slightly.

Hitting enter, Sit Still Look Pretty popped onto the screen. It was a few years old, but it still resonated with her. She still remembered all the times of annoying the staff back at her home in Italy with blasting the song throughout the estate daily.

Tiana hadn't realized she started mouthing along to the song until she heard the quiet laughter from the boy beside her, turning her gaze away from the screen and to him to see an amused look in his eyes as he watched her.

"If you want to sing along that bad, go ahead." Adrien offered with another laugh, Tiana clamping her mouth shut as she felt heat rush to her face.

Tiana turned her gaze away from him again, back to the computer as Adrien stopped laughing. "You can go back to the song you had on before." Tiana offered, handing the keyboard back without looking at him as her song continued with the bridge.

"Hey I didn't mean to upset you..." Adrien muttered, Tiana glancing at him from the corner of her eye to see a concerned expression as he put the keyboard back on the desk and leaned closer her way.

"You didn't. But I held up by end of the bargain, now you hold up to yours." Tiana tried her best to change the subject, but Adrien didn't seem to budge from it as he leveled her with a soft look in his eyes.

"Are you shy about singing around others?" Adrien asked, Tiana scoffing at the notion as she sung around people all the time. Her mother made her do it even with some of the performances.

"No..." Tiana hadn't meant to make that sound as childish as it did.

"Are you shy about that song then?" Adrien asked instead of teasing her for the childish response.

Tiana looked to him fully this time to see him offer a encouraging yet sympathetic smile, surprisingly feeling the defiance leave her.

"I don't..." Tiana trailed off as she thought of the best way to put her words together. "That song helped me feel like there was some hope, that I wasn't destined to just be some pretty girl performing in my mother's plays. That I don't have to use my looks to get things done because I'm smart enough to do them the right way and can be more than what meets the eyes of others. I guess I just don't like people seeing that there's more to me until I've really learned to trust them deeper." Tiana explained the best she could, still a bit unsatisfied with her explanation.

They were quiet for a moment in their own thoughts before at last Adrien spoke. "Do you trust me?" Adrien asked, and it didn't take a genius to see the fact that he hesitated with that question.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make that sound like I didn't." Tiana apologized with a small smile, but Adrien just smiled a little easier at her as he took the keyboard once again from the desk.

"I know we're still getting to know each other even after how you've been here a few months now, but I didn't need to have your trust to see that there is more to you than the pretty looks and kind smile Tiana." Adrien revealed with a kind warmth in his green eyes that brought warmth to her own face at his words.

Tiana tried to fight off the blush she knew was forming, but Adrien didn't seem to be finished just yet.

"You're smart, so much smarter than I ever realized when I first met you. I know you can do whatever it is you set your mind to because of that. I just want you to know that you don't have to hide anything from me or our friends, you can trust us with anything." Adrien assured her before playing the song he played earlier for her once again.

Her chest felt like it was going to burst as warmth bloomed inside her at the honesty and sincerity of his words. How could someone be so kind, even after how he's been denied many of the same things she has been in life?

"Thank you, Adrien." Tiana murmured quietly, unable to say much more than that as she felt the warmth of his kindness taking a vice on her.

Tiana had to take the forgotten bottle of water from the desk and take a big drink just to try to wash away the unnatural warmth she felt just from his honesty with her.

Looking to him as the song continued playing, he once more was in thought as he leaned back in his chair once more.

"Was this song dedicated to a certain girl?" Tiana asked after a moment of silence to allow him to gather his thoughts.

"Yes." Adrien answered her honestly and without hesitation this time, closing his eyes as a blush rose to his own face now.

Poor Marinette... Tiana knew this would hurt the most for her, but unfortunately she also knew she wouldn't be the one to tell her. It wouldn't be fair to divulge something Adrien obviously was keeping a secret, nor would it be fair to Marinette for her to hear it from her instead of Adrien.

"Does she feel the same way?" Tiana asked quietly, trying to block out the feelings of longing and pain she felt rolling off of Adrien. She wasn't sure why it was so hard to fight her empathy with him, it's never usually this hard with someone that isn't family.

"I'm not sure." Adrien answered as she noticed him gripping the arm rest of his chair so tightly his fingers started turning white. "I've tried telling her how I feel, but she's always too busy to listen to me." Adrien continued as his frustration shined through the pain.

Tiana almost wanted to yell at whomever would dare to harm the kind boy beside her, but fought away all her emotions to reach over and pry his hand from the arm rest.

His grip was iron tight, so it took a moment but once his hand was in her own, his eyes snapped open to meet her own as she offered him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Adrien. I'm sure soon she'll understand and realize how much you care and how much she's been hurting you. She's a lucky girl though if you've still stuck around after all the pain. Trust me, I know how hard it is to stick around and wait for someone to love you that wont." Tiana revealed with a sad smile, feeling the familiar sting at the back of her eyes just at the thought.

Adrien's gaze on her softened even more as she pulled one hand away to try to use to keep the painful tears at bay, but he took it in his other hand before she could. "Is there a guy you love then?" Adrien asked softly, Tiana unable to help herself from the laugh at the notion of there being a guy she would be foolish enough to let close enough to her to love.

She already had a hard enough time trying to get one person to love her, why would she subject herself to the pain of trying to earn the love of another person too?

"No. Just someone I've tried everything in my power for my entire life to get to love me for who I am, but probably never will." Tiana remarked bitterly, unable to hold back the painful tears at some of the memories of times when she would do everything her mother asked but never get any praise or hugs or anything that a real mother would have given.

Why was she so weak? Why did she still let the woman get to her when she stopped trying already? She gave up hope so long ago, but yet it still hurts just as if she had once again brushed her off like she was just some annoying puppy.

When Adrien let go of her hand and she went to wipe away the bitter tears that broke free, she was instead surprised to feel his hand on her face as he beat her to it. His thumb gently wiped away the hot tears that fell, closing her eyes as she fought any more from falling.

The warmth from his skin seemed to sooth the scald that the tears produced, finding herself leaning into his touch as she tried to shove the pain down and out of sight like she's always done.

"I'm sorry, Tiana." Adrien muttered quietly, opening her eyes to see the sad gaze in his own. "Don't give up hope though, our parents have to love us." Tiana scoffed indignantly at the notion.

"That's what I thought too. Apparently, they don't." Tiana muttered as Adrien held tighter to the hand that she was holding his own in to prevent him from squeezing the chair.

"You still have your Grandfather though. It might seem right now like she doesn't love you, but I'm sure eventually she'll remind you just how much she really does." Adrien tried to comfort her, but she couldn't help but notice the irony of his words. How he was enamored with a girl that was too busy to acknowledge how he feels.

"I think you need to listen to your own words there, Adrien." Tiana pointed out, forcing a small smile as his gaze turned more somber. "Eventually she'll see, and hopefully then you'll have what you truly want." Tiana said as she squeezed his hand reassuringly, surprised by the lack of warmth when he pulled away the hand that he had been using to wipe at her tears.

"I hope, I really hope so." Adrien muttered with a shake of his head before squeezing her hand back, returning her small smile with a weak one of his own. It felt so wrong to see him so sad, in such pain. This was the boy that almost always had a smile, always saw the light through the dark.

But as she went to say more, a throat clearing behind them drew their attention away.

Standing in the doorway was Louie once again, behind him being Marinette and Alya whom held matching concerned looks in their eyes. "Your friends have arrived, Mademoiselle." Louie spoke first as he stepped aside to allow her two friends to enter.

Both Marinette and Alya seemed cautious to enter as Tiana dropped Adrien's hand quickly, turning away from him to face the door fully now.

With a glance at him out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the confused look he held before he quickly covered it over with a smile that didn't quiet reach the eye.

A lot more like her than she's ever realized...

"You neglected to advise us that you had more guests arriving." Louie pointed out as he stood to the side of the door, hazel eyes holding a chastising but teasing look upon her.

"You left before I found out earlier, sorry." Tiana replied before Louie at last retreated from the room once again.

"Are we interrupting something?" Alya asked once Louie was gone, looking between her and Adrien but leveling her with a confused look.

"No, no. Just... talking about my relationship or lack thereof with my parents." Tiana advised with a wave of her hand, looking to Adrien to back her up so his own lack of a relationship with the girl he cared for wouldn't have to be exposed just yet.

Both girl's gazes softened at the mention, Tiana rising from her chair to go grab two more for her friends.

Coming back with two more office chairs, she hesitated outside the door as she heard her friends talking within. "Are you sure you're alright?" Marinette asked as Tiana pressed her back to the wall beside the door.

"I'm fine. I'm just worried about her." Adrien was the one to answer, Tiana feeling her chest bloom with warmth once more at how her friends worried. She wished she could have had this years ago, instead of only having Grandfather until she was seven and introduced to Verro.

Thinking of the wolf, he nuzzled his way under her chin at that moment to remind her he was there before dropping back into hiding.

Tiana found it a little easier to smile at knowing she didn't have just Grandfather and Verro anymore. She had friends now, one in particular who knew exactly the pain she was feeling and could be there for her if she wanted him to be.

Pulling the chairs into the room, she was greeted with a trio of smiles as she offered the chairs to her friends. "So let's get off the depressing topics and onto something more fun." Tiana offered once Marinette and Alya were seated.

Alya spoke up happily as Tiana found her gaze drifting to the boy beside her, seeing a kind look in his eyes as he looked her way.

Tiana returned one with a smile as well, glad that her friends were here for her instead of sitting down in the wolves den alone like usual.

* * *

 **I literally only just finished this chapter a few minutes ago! I am so sorry! I'm getting so behind on writing, I might not post this Wednesday just so I can try to catch up as well as catch up on Season 2 now that it's out on Netflix. Can I just say how much I enjoyed Prime Queen though, that's the most recent episode I'm on and the purring scene just had me busting up!**

 **Aww, it's a sad little chapter with a bit of comforting. But now someone other than Nino knows about Adrien's feelings for that mystery girl. Tiana's also sharing a little easier with Adrien now instead of his alter ego, sad that it's about something so painful.**

 **I have to say this though, we've hit nearly 3000 reads and I'm just so amazed! Thank you all so much, but not only for that but the many of you who have favorited or put this story on alert as well. I'm just so happy to see that more and more people are reading and sticking around to see where this journey takes us! Thank you all so, so much!**

 **Also, reviewers! Last chapter there was a Guest reviewer who I thought their review looks a lot like its from Clarisa, if I'm wrong I'm sorry. But the story about the Wolf and the Dragon is as much as Tiana knows herself, so it might not be entirely the whole story. There might be more to it than the star crossed lovers choosing not to be together for their children's sake, but we'll find out more later! Also, I hope this chapter helped clear up a little better Tiana's logical look at things. There's always bound to be some problems when you try to shut out how you feel, but as shown it's not always possible to shut away how you feel. You are right, feelings really aren't logical.**

 **Also, I'm so sorry BunnyxStar for not replying to what my Quotev account is! I kept forgetting, and when I went to PM you it your account is set to not receive personal messages. On Quotev I go by Lupus Ignis, but the full account username is CommandantLupoIgnis. I hope that helps, sorry again!**

 **I know usually I dissect the chapters a little more, but I want to go get started on the next chapter because of how behind I am. Thank you all so much for reading, and I will see you next chapter!**


	18. A Night To Remember

In the grand scheme of things, announcing to the city of Paris that she was going to rob the Louvre by draping a flag marked with her signature paw print over the pyramid was probably a bad idea.

But what fun was there in the job if there wasn't a challenge?

By the morning following when she draped the flag, the mayor had buffed security and the news was going wild. The rumors had already been drifting across the wind, and the spray painted print on the bank that hadn't ever really reached news until now only helped to fan those rumors.

She had told Chat that she would give them something to remember.

Fortunately, not many yet had actually seen her besides the heroes and the security team who had surveillance footage of her from the Valentine's heist. But she doubted that they wouldn't become curious and look deeper into who she was, just as Chat Noir had done.

Even more amusing though than the mayor doubling down to try to protect the Louvre from her thievery was the fact that Ladybug and Chat Noir even spoke out against her. More so Ladybug though, as she seemed to always be the one to call the shots. Seeing Ladybug tell all of Paris over a news conference that they would be ready and waiting for her just made her more excited for the challenge.

But that was still a day away. Now, she got to listen to Alya go on and on about this thief who would be so daring as to challenge Ladybug and Chat Noir by openly staking her claim on the Louvre.

"I have to be there for it! I've got to be the first with the scoop on what happens!" Alya said excitedly as they sat in their classroom and waited for their teacher to arrive. The school in general was quietly abuzz with curiosity and excitement for the encounter to come at the strike of midnight.

Hell, all of Paris was abuzz. She wouldn't be surprised if the audience tonight outside the Louvre was as grand as the one's that her mother typically drew for her performances.

It would certainly be a night to remember tonight.

"Alya, it's not safe. No one has any idea about who this thief is or what she's capable of!" Marinette argued with Alya, but it only went in one ear and out the other.

"There's been more dangerous villains than this one, Marinette! She's just a thief, what's she going to do to a few hundred people watching and recording what happens?" Alya challenged her warning as she tapped away furiously at the screen of her phone, not losing the excited grin she held over what was to come.

"Marinette, it's pointless to tell her not to go. You know she's been doing it this entire time since Ladybug and Chat Noir first saved Paris." Nino reminded as Tiana sat in silence, enjoying listening to the discussions about Alyas excitement over the heist on the Louvre.

At least someone was somewhat happy over what was to come. Granted, it was only for the inevitable fight between herself, kitty cat and little red.

"What are you two droning on about?" Chloe interrupted their conversation with a snooty tone.

"We're talking about tonight." Tiana replied from her spot squeezing Marinette in closer to Alya. She would move when their teacher arrived.

"Who cares about tonight? Whoever it is, they're just going to get caught by Ladybug." Chloe said with her nose turned up before turning her attention to the door when Adrien finally arrived.

Tiana stood up and moved back to her seat as their teacher at last arrived, glad for the distraction so Chloe wouldn't continue to bother her friends.

Looking down at Marinette and Alya as she took her seat, however, it seemed that they didn't even care about her one bit this time. Alya was just too excited for what was to come, and Marinette continued to quietly try to convince her not to go to the Louvre tonight.

Tiana resisted the urge to laugh at her friends as Miss. Bustier took attendance.

Looking to her side, Nathaniel was drawing in his notebook once again. In his own little world. Leaning over, she tried to steal a glance at what he was working on.

Only for him to snap a folder over the page to keep her from seeing his work. Guess he wasn't as deep in his own world as she thought...

"Mean..." Tiana muttered, pouting at him when he looked her way. It didn't seem to faze him though, as he just kept the notebook covered with his folder.

Since the whole Akuma incident, he's been more quiet than usual. She'd asked him if everything was alright, if something about it was bothering him. But she just got another apology for what happened each time she'd ask. It was obvious that something was wrong, but he didn't want to talk about it yet.

"Are you going to go to the Louvre tonight like everyone else?" Nathaniel asked after Miss. Bustier had finished with attendance.

"I don't know. My grandfather is on a business trip, it's harder to get out when he's not around." Tiana explained while restraining the desire to grin deviously at what was to come tonight.

That was partly why she chose this night. Grandfather would be gone, so the chances of him finding out what was happening were slim. He normally didn't look for the news from when he wasn't in town. That, and she was technically supposed to be working all day and night after returning home on the piece that they had started together.

That was already finished days ago in her free time, so that served as her alibi now should he ask her where she was tonight.

"He won't let you go even if everyone else is going?" Nathaniel asked in surprise, Tiana doodling idly on the back of a notebook before looking to him.

"It's not him that doesn't want me going out. It's my parents and bodyguard who don't. My Grandfather is the reason why I do get out as much as I usually do, he stands up for me and wanting to be a normal girl." Tiana said as she watched Nathaniel scribble away at his notebook once again, using the folder as a divider now to hide his work.

"Well what if they don't know you're going out?" Nathaniel asked one more question, Tiana having to turn her gaze down to her notes as the urge to grin tormented her.

Oh they never knew if she went out. Hell, they'll never know that she will be going out tonight. But, it's not Tiana that will be going out technically.

No, the daring thief Rogue Wolf will be the one out tonight having the time of her life.

"I'll see if I can slip out, but no promises. They've doubled down on security after the Chat Noir thing." Tiana said with a shrug before giving her full focus on taking down the notes that Miss. Bustier was writing on the board up front.

Class seemed to fly by after that, pulling them closer to the eventuality that would be tonight. By lunch, the buzz of excitement only seemed to grow in the school.

She couldn't deny, she was quiet excited as well for what was to come. Last time she went to the Louvre, Chat Noir managed to stop her by a hair. Tonight, it will be more than just he.

Tonight it will be both Chat Noir and Ladybug. As well as a horde of security guards and police officers likely.

As Tiana sat down in the courtyard with Marinette and Alya to have lunch, she noticed as Nathaniel zipped by in the direction of the library.

Sighing, she grabbed her bag from where she dropped it beside her on the bench and got back up to follow after him.

"Where are you going girl? We're about to discuss our plans for tonight." Alya said as Nino and Adrien finally arrived to join them.

"I'll be back. I've got to go make sure Nathaniel's alright, he's acting weird." Tiana said and walked away before Alya could try to tell her to stay instead.

Vaguely, she was aware of the eyes trailing after her departure. But she didn't bother to look back to see who was watching, she would have to get used to watching eyes anyways for tonight.

Reaching the library, she looked around for sight of Nathaniel, finally spotting him tucked away in a corner with his face buried in his notebook once again as he drew.

Tiana watched him for a moment, reading him by his body language and how he was hunched over with a somber air about him. Everything about him right then, when he thought he was alone, just shouted pain to her as she watched his hand move quickly over the notebook he treasured.

Creeping over to him, she also noticed how he had no idea of anything going on around him as he drew. He didn't even hear or see her as she came up beside him, which was unusual.

Taking advantage of the fact he was so deep in his own world, she peaked over his shoulder at what he was working on. Not much to her surprise, it was another one of Marinette. But, it was of her sitting beside Marinette at her desk as well.

Tiana hadn't yet seen Nathaniel draw anything of her. It was always Marinette or superheroes or Chloe morphed into some vile creature.

Tiana had to fight the rising heat to her face at how he captured details about her in a picture that she was certain not many noticed off paper.

"Why draw me?" Tiana asked before realizing what she was even doing, Nathaniel jerking violently at her voice and nearly clipping her in the nose with his shoulder as he flailed around and slammed the notebook shut.

Once he noticed it was her, his face already illuminated red to match his hair, he glared weakly at her. "Why do you have to sneak up on people?" Nathaniel asked as he raised the notebook to cover the lower half of his face.

"It's a fun past time. But why draw me?" Tiana asked as she nodded to the book he was using to try to hide his embarrassment from her.

"I-I wasn't drawing just you!" Nathaniel hissed and turned away from her, surprising her with how genuine his annoyance was for her. Usually he'd just brush off a lot of her jokes and teasing with a good nature, or shyly answer her serious questions.

Tiana frowned before stepping back away from him, the boy turning to her after a second. "I don't know whatever it is I've done to upset you, Nathaniel. But when you're ready to talk to me, I'll be waiting." Tiana replied to his obvious anger towards her with another step back.

Nathaniel just stared at her for a moment in silence. "You keep sneaking up on me and trying to see what I'm drawing." Nathaniel muttered in a tone that to her sounded childish, expecting a pout to adorn his face but no such thing came.

"I'm not talking about right now." Tiana corrected him, casting a knowing gaze on him as he knew exactly what she meant and chose willingly to ignore it. "You've been distant ever since that Akuma-"

"I said I was sorry..."

"That's not what's important here. I know how sorry you are, I told you that there was nothing that you needed to be sorry about minutes after all of that. But you've been distant none the less, like you're trying to close me out." Tiana said as Nathaniel shoved his notebook in his bag and stood up.

"I have not. I've just been busy working on something." Nathaniel said and only earned a shake of the head from her. "Besides, you've been busy with the others anyways." Nathaniel muttered moodily seconds later, Tiana sighing at his mannerisms.

"That doesn't mean I don't worry about you too, Nathaniel. But if the reason you're being this way is because of something I've done, I'd like to know so we can talk about it and fix it. Instead of being shut out." Tiana said before Nathaniel's gaze snapped away from her as the doors to the library slammed obnoxiously.

They were quiet for a moment, Nathaniel's eyes not meeting her own. So with another sigh, she turned away from him.

"When you're ready to talk, I'll be waiting." Tiana said simply, not wanting to force him to tell her if he truly didn't want to.

"Tiana..."

As she came out from around the bookshelves, she was met by that snooty laugh that she really didn't want to hear right then. "Did you two finally sit down and talk about how you feel?" Chloe asked from where she sat on a table, Sabrina sitting in a chair mid writing something but flickering her eyes between her and Chloe.

"Don't start with me today, Chloe. I'm in no mood." Tiana said simply, walking past her without another word.

Chloe huffed once she was past her. "Well sorry for trying to be nice." Chloe snapped back at her, before she heard Nathaniel calling after her.

She didn't need this today. She really didn't. She needed to stay positive and bubbly for tonight, keep the negativity away so she would be ready.

Tiana didn't wait for him to catch up or turn around to see what he had to say. She just walked out the doors and went back to the courtyard where her friends were finishing eating as they talked.

But looking at how excited they were, minus Marinette, and how happy they were she didn't want to bother them with her souring mood over not knowing what was happening with her other friendship.

Slipping by them and hoping they didn't see, she went back to the classroom to hopefully have a chance to clear her thoughts and bring back the glee over what was to come tonight.

But as she sat down, she could only think about Nathaniel and what it was that she did that was making him grow distant with her. Sinking into her seat, she closed her eyes to try to clear her thoughts.

She was interrupted by Verro patting a paw on her nose though, opening her eyes to look at him and see a sympathetic tilt of the head angled her way. "Don't let it get to you. He's probably still trying to sort through all the emotions that Hawk Moth used to try to control him. He'll come around." Verro assured her with a comforting smile on his face, Tiana honestly glad to have him with her right then.

"Thanks, Verro." Tiana whispered back to him, Verro pushing forward and nuzzling into the crook of her neck like he always did when she was feeling down. "I'll try to keep my spirits up for tonight. Wouldn't want to disappoint our audience." Tiana said as Verro stroked a soothing paw in her hair behind her ear, showing his rare acts of physical comfort with her other than the nuzzling.

"I'm sure the moment you show up they'll be more than satisfied. They just want to see Ladybug and Chat Noir protect the Louvre." Verro reminded, both of them laughing quietly together as they both knew that they wouldn't go easy on the superhero duo.

"I'll be sure to remind them just why not to underestimate wolves like us." Tiana assured her companion with a grin, before the bell rang to let them know that their classmates would soon be returning.

Zipping back into her shirt to hide once more, Tiana actually felt much better than she thought she would be when she returned to the room.

She really was lucky to have a friend like Verro.

Everyone poured back in, Nathaniel being the last of their class to return before their teacher also returned. They locked eyes for a moment as he ascended the stairs to their table, but she broke the gaze and continued writing in her notebook.

Tiana promised she'd be waiting for when he was ready to talk, but right now she really didn't want to.

All she wanted to do was keep her spirits up and be ready for tonight. They could talk tomorrow if he really wanted to.

As classes flew by once again, Nathaniel didn't seem like he wanted to talk just yet however. It seemed that even their friends were noticing, as she kept receiving looks from Marinette and Adrien over their odd behavior.

Not wanting anyone else to have a hand in this though, she'd just reply to each worried look with a smile before continuing with the class work.

At last, the final bell rang and everyone began pouring out of their classrooms with loud excited chatter. Their own class was no exception, Alya being the loudest as she voiced her excitement over interviewing Ladybug after the heist was squashed.

Chloe even seemed to be excited, talking about how she knew Ladybug will protect them tonight.

Tiana smiled at the whole scene as she plucked her bag from the floor and stood up, ready to go home and prepare. She was most definitely excited and ready for tonight's fun.

"Tiana wait."

Tiana froze in her step when Nathaniel called after her, not looking back at him as she waited for him to speak.

"A-are you going to try to go tonight?" Nathaniel asked the same question he'd asked earlier, but it sounded like there was so much more he wanted to say.

"I don't know. Security will probably be tight tonight because of what's going on." Tiana said as she noticed that her other friends were waiting down by the door for her. "I'll figure it out later tonight." Tiana said before walking down the steps to her other friends.

Looking back for a moment before leaving the room, she noticed Nathaniel as he sank into his chair with a defeated look on his face.

Frowning, Tiana was going to go and offer him one more chance to tell her what's going on, but with a yell she was dragged away by Alya instead.

They all walked over to Marinette's families bakery, and she stayed for a little while before finally getting free from the excitement so that she could get home and prepare.

Leaving the bakery, she was met by Adrien leaving at the same time as her. "Is everything alright? It seemed like something was up between you and Nathaniel earlier today?" Adrien asked instead of offering her a goodbye.

Frowning slightly, Tiana offered him a shrug in response to whatever is happening. "I don't know why, but from as far as I can tell Nathaniel's upset with me over something. I asked him during lunch, but he won't tell me. There's not much I can do if he won't talk to me." Tiana answered him, trying to keep the negative emotions at bay so she wouldn't ruin the night.

Adrien's hand on her shoulder drew her attention fully to him though. "I could try talking to him if you'd like." Adrien offered with a soft smile.

"You don't have to get yourself involved. It's between he and I, I told him when he's ready to talk I'll be waiting." Tiana said with a shrug, hoping that he would talk soon as she didn't want to feel like she was losing a friend.

"When did this start?" Adrien asked, leading her to start walking away from the bakery and in the direction of her estate instead.

"After that whole Akuma thing." Tiana revealed as they walked together, noticing the way a lot of shops were already beginning to close up. Likely because of what was coming tonight.

"Maybe he's just trying to figure out how he's feeling after that. Hawk Moth never actually got to him, so he's probably still working through all of that." Adrien offered with a kind smile, Tiana unable to resist returning one.

Just as Verro had told her earlier too. She could even feel him poking her in the ribs, his way of showing he was right without saying anything.

"I hope that's all it is. I'd rather not feel like I'm losing a friend for a reason I'm not even aware of." Tiana muttered as she looked away from the friend walking beside her.

His hand rested on her arm, drawing her gaze once more instead as his smile turned a little more somber. "You're not losing a friend, Tiana. He'll come around, just give him time. You still have us though, you know I'm always here to talk if you need to." Adrien reminded her as Tiana returned the small smile.

"Thank you, Adrien." Tiana murmured, honestly glad to have a friend like him. Before she came to Paris, she only ever had one friend. And it was rare that she got to see him as they lived in two different countries.

But now, she was finally lucky enough to have not just one, but many friends. Close by as well, so she really hoped that Adrien was right and she wasn't losing one of them already.

Sighing, Tiana looked around at all the closing up shops and people racing around excitedly before turning back to Adrien. "So are you and Marinette talking more again?" Tiana asked as they continued walking.

"Yeah, she said that she just had some things to work out on her own. I'm happy she's not putting me in the dark anymore, and I told her if she wants to she can always tell me about them even if it's girl issues that I have absolutely no idea how to answer to." Adrien said with a chuckle, Tiana openly laughing at his honesty about wanting to help her with something he really knows nothing about.

"Well, I'm happy for you. I'm glad one of us is getting better results from their friendships right now." Tiana said before a bunch of kids shot past them, screaming about how happy they were to be allowed to go watch the heist at the Louvre tonight.

Both of them laughing at the excited kids, they stopped at a cross walk. "So you're not going tonight then?" Adrien asked as Tiana checked her phone for the time.

"No, Grandfather's out on a business trip so it will be nearly impossible to sneak away to watch. I hope you all have fun though." Tiana said with a genuine smile, hoping she saw her friends among the crowd tonight so she could see their honest reactions.

"Eh I won't be going. My Father would never let me out that late at night for something like that." Adrien revealed with a shrug, Tiana feeling bad for him as he would be locked in on the night that all of Paris would be attending a daring show.

"Well, I'm sure Alya will be more than happy to show us what happens tonight." Tiana said with a shrug of her own, plucking her phone from her pocket as one of the alarms she had set for today went off, quickly silencing it.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow maybe if Alya and Nino are awake enough to remember we're all getting lunch." Adrien said with a smile always present for her, waving to him and earning one in return before he turned and started back towards his own home.

Not a second after he was out of sight and she was alone did Verro pop his head out of her shirt collar. "Too bad, he'll miss all the fun tonight." Verro commented, laughing as she grinned down at him before continuing on home to prepare.

"Oh I'm sure we'll make an appearance on the news, no doubt he'll be watching with everyone else that doesn't want to go out." Tiana said as she strolled leisurely home, still watching the citizens of Paris scramble excitedly.

Yes, Tiana and Verro would hold their promise to Chat Noir and give him and his lady a night to remember.

Paris seemed to be holding her breath as the clock struck half past eleven, a crowd of hundreds gathered around the glass pyramid of the Louvre and held back by police tape lines and officers. Even the cold nip of the night air didn't seem to deter a single one of them from seeing what was about to happen.

The pyramid was alight, spot lights centered on all four sides and the lights all on within the museum. There would be no rest tonight, would be no breaks until it was shown if the thief would show.

Of course, Chat was here early and ready to begin. Ladybug too had already arrived, somewhere inside and walking with Officer Raincomprix as he showed her all the extra security measures they had gone to for tonight.

Chat didn't need another tour, so that was why he was perched on the tip of the pyramid and waiting. Last time, she came through the pyramid. He would make sure if she did again tonight he would be ready to stop her.

Looking at the crowd below, lights flashed up at him as the citizens all took their pictures and videos of him and the Louvre. He could only wonder how Rogue would react to this crowd, he's only ever seen her in solitude and darkness.

Not this situation where there would be nowhere she could go without being seen.

The crowd grew louder suddenly, so Chat pulled out his baton to look at the time. Ten minutes till. Scanning the horizon and rooftops, Chat saw no movement. Surely she wouldn't be late to her own party.

Chatter on the headset he had been given by Raincomprix began to rise, listening to the officers talk about their positions and how much time was left.

But as the clock struck midnight, all of Paris fell silent in anticipation. Not a single person in the crowd moved, Chat didn't dare move a muscle as everyone waited for what was to come.

As it seemed nothing was going to happen, something moving in the sky drew Chat's attention. Looking up, he noticed a small little drone just in time as it shot out a beam to the pyramid.

Chat was about to throw his baton at it, but instead the beam created a picture on the glass. "Hello, citizens and all of Paris!"

Chat was amazed, to say the least, as he looked down on the pyramid to see a projection of a wolf on the glass. It shined bright enough across the glass that he knew the entire crowd around the pyramid tonight would be able to see it.

"I would like to thank you all for coming tonight! What a turnout for a night that will certainly be one to remember!" Rogue's voice seemed to boom out from all around them, Chat looking around quickly to spy more drones flying around the building. How the...

"I promised you, Chat Noir, that I would give you and your lady something to remember. Here I will tonight remind you just how cunning this wolf can be." Rogue spoke directly to him this time as the wolf face moved on the glass with each word she spoke. "Make sure not to blink." Rogue spoke one last time, before the projection cut out.

Chat stood up from his perch, looking around to see each drone still floating in it's exact position. Where was she? She had to be close by if she was controlling all these drones.

Suddenly, a howl pierced the air louder than he's ever heard it, looking around quickly for any sign of Rogue. Just as he turned about one eighty, he saw something swinging wide from one of the drones behind him.

With not much time to move, Rogue flew directly into him, knocking him flying over the tip of the pyramid with a barking laugh. Flailing for a moment, he dug his claws into the glass as he slid down, barely getting a traction on the building before he was halfway down the side.

Looking back up, the spotlights all focused on Rogue as she stood in the spot he had been moments prior. "Mon Dieu, you must be careful Kitty Cat. I wouldn't want you getting hurt again." Rogue teased before slamming a foot down into the glass panel just below the peak and shattering it. "I'll see you inside." With a two fingered salute, Rogue dropped into the hole as Chat scrambled back up the pyramid after her.

Looking down into the Louvre, he spotted Rogue still falling through the air, no zip lines to slow her down this time. But as she neared the ground, the zip lines at last shot out and stuck into the walls, landing on the ground with grace before turning back up to him.

A devious grin was sent his way before she took off running further into the Louvre.

Without further hesitation, Chat dove right in after her.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he took off running on all fours in the direction he had watched her run. Over the headset he could hear yelling and orders from the officers stationed inside the building. One in particular drew his attention.

"We've lost sight of the wolf. She shot into the air and disappeared!"

Shot into the air...she must be sneaking her way through. But how?

Skidding around a corner, he very nearly clipped Ladybug as she was running. "Chat Noir, where is she?" Ladybug asked as she skid to a stop.

"I don't know, but I think I might have an idea." Chat added to his statement as he felt a breeze of cool air on his neck, looking up to see an open air vent above her. Those vents went all over the Louvre, she could be anywhere!

"Go up in the vents, we'll watch out for her down here." Ladybug ordered before taking off once more. Barely able to get a salute in before she was gone, Chat turned back up to the vent above him.

With a grin, Chat extended his baton and shot up into the vent above.

Rogue Wolf, you might be one cunning wolf. But let's see just how you fair against not only himself, but Ladybug and the police force waiting for you tonight.

Rogue was right though, Chat definitely wasn't going to forget tonight.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry I'm late, but at least I'm still getting this chapter to all of you today instead or tomorrow!**

 **Ooh, Rogue Wolf's first public act! All of Paris is watching, let's see where this ends for her? But not only for her, but how our cat and Ladybug handle her this time when it's not just the three of them. There's more people to stop her, one can only wonder where this will go.**

 **Also, quickly saying that I've only gotten to starting Befana so far. I'm getting there slowly, but that's also part of the reason why I'm falling behind on writing this. I don't want to get too far before I know what's happened already so that way things stay somewhat canon. Please forgive me!**

 **But I'm not going to keep you all any longer, I'm gonna go continue watching and writing, so thank you all so much for reading! I'll see you next chapter!**


	19. Deceiving

Ladybug raced through the Egyptian exhibit, listening to the vents above for any sounds of banging around, any kind of noise actually that would be an indicator to the wolf being up there.

Flipping her yo-yo open, she saw all the blue blips on the screen moving frantically around. But a green one was moving slowly in her direction, letting her know Chat was up in the air ducts searching.

Ladybug was grateful for the fact that her yo-yo was capable of mapping out and tracking the building for her. She just wished she could have tracked the Miraculous belonging to that thief. But unfortunately it couldn't be tracked unless the wolf gave permission to do so.

Faintly, she could hear banging in the vents above her. Looking at her yo-yo again, she sighed as she realized it was only Chat. "Chat, you're being too loud!" Ladybug chastised him through the headset, a loud bang sounding above her before Chat groaned into the headset.

"Oww..." Ladybug had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing as she realized Chat banged his head against the duct, coughing to cover her lapse in seriousness as two officers entered the room. After listening to Chat continue on through the vents, she ran off to continue searching elsewhere.

All the officers were sweeping the rooms, so Ladybug dashed through the hallways in search of an open vent that would show her a clue as to where Rogue Wolf was headed.

They weren't so fortunate that she had openly admitted what she would be stealing, so the officers were watching every inch of the Louvre for what she could possibly be targeting.

Chat was convinced it was an emerald necklace that she had tried to steal the first night he had encountered her, but Ladybug wasn't so sure. There were more valuable things here than an emerald necklace.

Ladybug heard yelling above her faintly, flicking her yo-yo open again to see the green blip moving quicker than usual. "Chat, do you see her?" Ladybug asked into the headset, before a yell sounded out down the hallway.

With a loud crash, one of the ducts collapsed to the floor below, Chat rolling out of the vent with a yell and landing on his stomach with a resounding smack.

Running over to Chat, she heard laughter in the ducts above before the skittering of claws on metal signaled Rogue was getting away once again. "Looks like the cat's falling for the wolf now!" Rogue's voice called out, drifting further away.

Looking to a dazed Chat on the floor for a moment, Ladybug sighed before throwing her yo-yo up to the vent, pulling herself up and into the vent to take over for Chat.

The vents were tight, having to crawl low to make sure she didn't bang her head on the vent like Chat did. Now she almost felt bad for laughing at him. Almost...

Further in, she could barely hear the clicking of metal on metal that let her know the wolf was still inside the vents, moving faster to try to catch up to her before she could break out of the vents.

Chatter on the headset picked up, Ladybug reaching up and silencing her headset to keep the wolf from hearing her before she got to her. Faintly, she heard laughter up ahead before a bang resounded its way down the vents to her.

Speeding up, she came around a corner in the ducts to find an open vent halfway down. Reaching the open vent, she dropped out to find she was out in the main floor.

Looking around, she noticed that none of the officers or Chat were in this room. Where was everyone? There were so many valuable exhibits in here she could possibly-

"PEEKABOO!"

Something wrapped around her calf and lifted her up into the air, flailing for a moment as she spun in the air before looking up.

Suspended above her was Rogue Wolf, face split with a grin so devious she wanted to smack it away.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you to check all angles before entering a room you believe an enemy to be in?" Rogue mocked as she realized she was being held up by one of the lines she used to zip around the city, trying to yank her leg free only for it to tighten.

"So the air duct plan was just a way to distract us?" Ladybug questioned the laughing wolf as she dropped down onto the ground below.

"Not at all. I just didn't expect you to get up there yourself. Usually you make the kitty cat do the dirty work." Rogue mused as she looked up at her with a mocking glint in her golden eyes.

Struggling against the metallic restraint around her calf, Ladybug yanked her yo-yo from her waist and scanned the room quickly for something to grab onto with it.

From the looks of it, Rogue had attached the end of the zip line to the air duct, spinning around as she threw her yo-yo to try to detach the metal line from the duct and free herself.

"I'll let you down when I'm done, just be patient." Rogue called to her, spinning around again to see her flick aside a glass case and grab the necklace from within as the alarms sounded out around them. "Though, I must say. I'm tempted to leave you there for your kitty cat. He'd just love being your knight to the rescue." Rogue cackled as she spun the necklace on her finger.

In the distance, Ladybug could hear the officers running in their direction and shouting over the alarms. Throwing her yo-yo again, she finally caught it on the vent and started to pull herself up to hopefully free her leg from the zip line.

Looking back down where Rogue was once she had her hand on the end of the zip line, she nearly lost her grip when the wolf shot past her and back into the air vents.

"See you in a few, bugaboo." Rogue cooed before disappearing into the vents once again.

A growl left her lips before she could even think about the fact that she called her the same nickname Chat still did. Freeing her leg with ease now, she pulled herself up into the vent to follow after the annoying wolf.

Rounding a corner in the vents, she spied Rogue worming her way down the system further down. Pulling her yo-yo from her waist once again, she threw the toy and it wrapped around Rogue's waist.

Pulling Rogue Wolf back in her direction, she wished she had thought through her choice as she heard the vents start creaking and groaning under them. Not a second after her hand wrapped around the thief's ankle did the vents give way under their weight, both of them yelling as they tumbled down to the ground.

Smacking down to the tiled floor below, Ladybug scrambled back up as Rogue moved quickly to try to capture her.

Pulling on her yo-yo, Rogue was pulled back in her direction as she noticed the silver chain of the necklace was swinging haphazardly from her teeth. "Ooh, are we gonna dance, little red? I hope you're light on your feet." Rogue laughed as she grabbed for the necklace.

The wolf leaned back away, so she yanked on the string of her yo-yo again. Rogue lunged at her instead, shoulder smacking into her own and causing her hand to slip on the end of her yo-yo string.

Grabbing quickly for the yo-yo string again, with her other hand she grabbed Rogue by the wrist. A mad cackle came from the wolf before she was thrown over her shoulder, flipping and landing in a crouch before she could smack the ground.

Before she could rush Rogue again, her yo-yo was thrown carelessly down the hallway before she got in a fighting stance. "Let's dance then, little red." Ladybug rushed the thief, throwing a jab at her throat to try to get her jaw to loosen.

Pivoting to the side, Rogue dropped low and spun and clipped her ankle. Before she would let herself fall, Ladybug grabbed the wolf by the tail and used all her unbalanced strength to send her flying.

A triumphant laugh left her before she realized it as Rogue smacked into one of the marble pillars with a yelp. She could hear the stomping of the officers rushing in their direction, she just needed to hold Rogue off a little longer.

When Rogue hit the ground, she landed on all fours and suddenly pounced in her direction. Dashing towards her right and in the direction of her yo-yo, Ladybug swung her heel towards the wolf's shoulder.

The wolf slid to the side just in time to avoid the kick, claws skittering on the tiled floor before dashing after her. Flipping backwards, her hand landed on her yo-yo at last.

Spinning the toy in front of her as a shield, Rogue stopped herself just before throwing herself at her again, boots squeaking against the floor as she stood up right to smirk at her.

"Well, if we're going to play with toys..." Rogue drifted off as a group of officers appeared at each end of the hallway, looking back and forth between them before returning her golden gaze to her.

"The fun is over, wolf. Hand over the necklace." Ladybug ordered the thief before noticing the devious grin that spread over her lips.

"Now there wouldn't be much fun in that, would there?" Rogue replied before rushing her once again. Spinning her yo-yo between them, Rogue's hand ricocheted off it before spinning and kicking off the stomach of one of the approaching police officers.

Flipping over her with ease, Ladybug spun on her heel to block a swing for her lower back, throwing her shoulder at Rogue's own and shoving her back towards Chat Noir who she hadn't even seen arrive yet.

"Oh, hi kitty kitty." Rogue chimed to Chat as if he was a friend instead. As if she wasn't their enemy for what crimes she willingly commits to their city. But what made her blood boil the most was that Chat returned the excited grin adorning her lips with one of his own.

"Chat!" Ladybug snapped at the man that was supposed to be her partner, causing his focus to snap to her. Which was the wrong move.

Rogue didn't hesitate to throw herself into her partner and flip over his shoulder, kicking her boot out and into his back once she was behind him. He was sent flailing into her, grabbing him by the shoulders to keep him from falling and taking her down with him.

Rogue just laughed at them as she pulled a metal ball from her belt. Ladybug shielded her eyes the moment she saw the ball leave her claws, protecting herself from the blast of light as the officers around them yelled in surprise from the act.

Still covering her eyes, Ladybug had to use her hearing to follow Rogue's next move. Hearing the grunts of pain from the officers that let her know Rogue was trying to clear a path out, she dashed forward.

Once the blinding white light cleared, she spotted Rogue near the doorway with a semi-surprised look on her face towards her before running off on all fours.

"Chat don't let her get away!" Ladybug said before Chat shot past her on all fours after the wolf, still chasing after them even though she was significantly slower than they were when running like that.

As she continued running, she noticed the dazed and temporary blind officers along the way. How many of those flash bombs did she have? She couldn't help them just now though, she needed to get the necklace back and restrain the wolf.

In the distance, she heard a loud crash that made her cringe. She really hoped that wasn't Chat...

Skidding into the room where Rogue had first entered, she almost couldn't believe her eyes. Not because of the fact that there were so many displays knocked over and their cases shattered, but because Rogue was pinned beneath her partner with a look that could say she was enjoying being around him far too much.

"Looks like you've been put in a bad pawsition here, wolfie." Chat mused to the wolf that he caged beneath him, pinning her wrists above her head as she only grinned up at him.

"I'm pawsitive that this isn't that bad fur me. I mean, your lady would be absolutely furrious if she saw you on me right now instead of on her." Rogue replied as Ladybug noticed the bloom of red to her partners face, realizing that even if she hadn't had much contact with this thief to this point it looked as though Chat had had plenty.

She would talk to him later about that. Rushing forward, she noticed the golden eyed wolf look in her direction before grinning maniacally. Before she could reach her, she showed just how unpredictable she could be.

Even with Chat pinning her arms above her head, Rogue wrapped her tail around her partner and leaned up into his face. "Too bad you're collared and declawed by her, alley cat. We could have had so much fun." Rogue purred to her partner before her tongue flicked out of her mouth and caught Chat's nose.

The reaction was instant, Chat's face lighting up red and his grip loosened on Rogue as Ladybug ran forward again.

Rogue threw Chat off and at her like he was nothing, laughing as Ladybug lost her balance and fell with Chat on top of her now instead. Still a blushing and fumbling mess thanks to that disgusting fiend.

"Aww, now you got yourself in the pawsition you were wanting all this time, alley cat!" Rogue chimed obnoxiously as Ladybug tried to shove Chat off of her, swatting him on the shoulder when his green eyed gaze met her with a small smile before rolling off of her himself.

Ladybug flipped over to land on all fours, looking up just in time to see Rogue kick over another exhibit, the glass crashing loudly on the floor as she held a mocking gaze on her.

With a growl, Ladybug rushed her once again. Boots squeaking behind her let her know Chat was right behind her, Rogue dropping into a fighting stance again as they neared her.

Ladybug swung at the wolf, missing narrowly only for Chat to swing his staff into her side and knock her closer to them.

Chat rounded her so they had her covered from front and back, Rogue dawning a miffed look that only made her smile. "One last chance to hand over the necklace, wolf." Ladybug offered her one last chance to give it over willingly, just then realizing it was no longer between her teeth.

"You and your shiny things. You want it, you'll have to reach it before me." What?

Looking up, Rogue pointed a claw at the glass ceiling with a smirk. Following her gaze, she spotted the silver chained necklace hanging from one of her zip lines, up for grabs to whomever got to it first.

A howl broke her thoughts as Rogue threw herself at her, flailing for a moment before snapping her knee up into the thief's stomach and shoving her away with a yelp. Before she could throw her yo-yo to grab the necklace, two lines shot out from the wolf's belt and she zoomed up into the air.

Chat grabbed onto her before she could get too high above them, holding on by her waist and throwing them off balance as Rogue flipped upside down. Chat held on tighter as he nearly slipped, but they continued rising none the less.

"Seriously? No free rides!" Rogue snapped as she tried to pry Chat's claws off of her.

Taking advantage of the distraction Chat was giving, Ladybug threw her yo-yo and snatched the necklace from where it swung, sighing a little once it touched her gloved hand.

Only to remember that this had been in Rogue's mouth and shudder in disgust. Holding tighter to it regardless, she looked up as the two animals flailed about in the air, losing balance further as Chat refused to let go of the thief.

"I'll let you two hang around for the officers to arrive, I've got the necklace now." Ladybug called up to them. Looking down at her, she held the necklace up to show the wolf that she wasn't as cunning as she believed.

Rogue smirked at her before throwing Chat off with ease this time, her partner yelling as he tumbled to the ground but still somehow landed on his feet. "Well, I have to hand it to you little red. You're determined to get done what you want done." Rogue mused as she flipped back up so she was no longer hanging upside down.

"When it comes to villains like you, I'll always be ready to stop you Rogue Wolf." Ladybug agreed with her for once as the officers finally started catching up with them, all aiming their tazer guns up at the wolf suspended from the ceiling.

Rogue laughed openly, making the only noise in the entire room as it seemed every officer was waiting with bated breath for her next move. "Here's the funny part, I get done what I need done as well. Don't forget, this wolf can be deceiving." Rogue mocked before suddenly ascending quickly. With a loud crash, she shot straight through the glass ceiling.

Throwing her yo-yo, Ladybug chased after her. She wouldn't let the thief get away once again.

Reaching the roof, Rogue sat perched on the tip of the pyramid in wait for her. But as Chat reached the roof with them, she lunged at him and knocked him off balance.

Ladybug flailed for a moment as Chat knocked into her, trying to keep her footing as best she could as Rogue shot a zip line from her belt again. Looking around, she noticed it hook on to one of the drones that had been hovering over the building for the last hour.

Why had no one taken them out yet?!

"This has been fun, we should do this again. But I got what I wanted, so I'll be off now!" Ladybug threw herself at the wolf as she shot forward, grabbing her by the ankle.

Bad idea.

The drone couldn't hold both of their weight, so they fell just as fast as Rogue would have risen had she gotten away. Hitting the sloped roof, they began to slide down to the ground below them quickly, Rogue whooping excitedly as she reached up and grabbed her by the tail for a better hold.

Rogue looked back at her with a mildly amused smirk on her lips before flipping over and grabbing her by the wrist. With a yell, she was dragged up into Rogue's personal space, both of them sliding faster down the pyramid.

Looking down, she waited for them to hit the ground with a roll. But instead, a black blur blocked their path, catching them both before they could skid across the pavement. "I got you." Ladybug was glad her partner was as quick on his feet as he was.

"Aw, what a prince charming you are, Kitty Cat. Never willing to let this girl fall." Rogue chimed from beneath her, just then remembering she was still being held against the chest of the thief.

"He wasn't talking to you!" Ladybug snapped as she tried to pull away, but found claws nipping into her shoulders and a maniacal look once more in the golden eyed thief.

"No? Then how's about I address the fact that not just he, but you as well have wanted atop me tonight at least once? I won't deny, this is quiet an interesting turn of events." Rogue growled with a show of her white teeth, yanking on her tail that she still had a grip on as Chat tried to help pull her free.

Looking around, the crowd all had their eyes on them. Including the officers holding the perimeter, not moving an inch when they should be helping.

"If I'm interpreting correct, is little red gaining a curiosity for this wolf like the man who's supposed to have his attention fully on you?" Rogue cooed mockingly as she was suddenly yanked free from her claws, the wolf not getting up just yet.

"You're wrong, I just want to see you in handcuffs."

"Ooh, feisty and kinky. You've got quiet the lady, _chaton_."

A hand reached out and punched her in the shoulder before Ladybug even realized her own actions. But she didn't really feel bad about it.

A laugh left the wolf before she rolled onto all fours and stood up. Once at eye level with her, the wolf continued smiling that crazed smile before bowing low to her. "This was fun, but I really must be on my way. But before I go..."

Ladybug didn't have time to react as Rogue lunged forward, trapping her between Chat and herself before flicking her tongue out and catching her nose. Ladybug felt heat rush to her face to match the revolting shudder she felt shake her body.

Before she could slap the wolf in the face like she wanted to, Rogue smacked a hand into her chest. An electrical current ripped through her body, seizing her body up stiff as a board and she felt ready to drop to the ground. It felt like all the air had left her lungs and she couldn't breath in to get more, only wanting to yell out. The wolf laughed as she kicked her backwards further into Chat Noir and sprawling them onto the ground together.

Looking up in a daze as electricity raced through her body, Rogue still laughed as she held a sparking ball in her hand before throwing it back towards the approaching policemen. "My touch is electric, _non_?" Rogue cooed before flashing something in her other hand at her. Mind still reeling from the electric shock, she couldn't focus hard enough to tell what she had shown her. With a cackle, she shot backwards into the sky.

Fighting off the pain of electricity in her veins, Ladybug shoved herself off of Chat and to her feet. Looking down at him, it appeared as though the current had gone straight through her and to him as well as he gasped for breath.

Finally as the currents began to leave her body, she spied the fleeing wolf in the distance. Launching her yo-yo at one of those drones, she swung off after the thief.

The crowd roared beneath her as she flew over them, cameras flashing up at her. But she couldn't focus on that right now, she needed to subdue Rogue Wolf. As she got a few blocks away from the Louvre, but no closer to the swinging wolf, Chat finally caught up to her with gasping breaths.

"She...stole a ring. The necklace was a decoy." Chat revealed through his gasps, Ladybug at last putting the pictures together. The flash of something in her hand, the way she held on to the necklace with such little care. She never wanted the necklace, she had already stolen something much smaller and easier to hide from their sight.

"Don't let her get away!" Chat vaulted after the wolf quicker than she could swing from the rooftops, using his added agility to leave her behind but gain on the fleeing thief.

How could she be so stupid as to not put those clues together?! There were so many exhibits smashed and destroyed, of course the wolf wasn't after just one thing. She played not only the officers but her too.

Chat and Rogue Wolf began to disappear in the distance, Ladybug flipping her yo-yo to see the green dot that was Chat moving quickly across the city once he was out of sight.

Don't let her get away Chat, they can't let some thief in costume get the better of them!

* * *

Chat smashed down to the pavement as Rogue threw herself into his lower back, groaning as she kicked off his back and continued running. "Just give up, you'll never catch me!" Rogue called back to him as she ran off.

Chat growled before jumping to all fours and continuing the chase. He couldn't let her get away, they couldn't keep being made fools of. They were the heroes of Paris, what kind of heroes get fooled by someone as lowly as a thief?

Rogue ricocheted off of cars as she raced down the deserted streets, Chat bounding over them with ease as well as he realized that they were getting further and further away from Ladybug. Where was she, he really needed her help right now!

With a yelp, Rogue suddenly went spiraling into an open manhole, the resounding splash from below making his stomach churn with disgust as he skidded to a halt.

Looking down into the dark abyss below, Rogue surfaced in the brown water sputtering and gagging while shouting in a language he's not heard her use much in their city but frequently in the surveillance footage of her crimes in Italy. " _Figlio di puttana! Che tipo di deficienti vivono in questa città!_ " Rogue shouted angrily as she dragged herself out of the sewage water. Brown water dripping from her now off-white hair, she looked like a water logged dog to him.

Flipping his staff, it began translating for him what she had said. " _What kind of morons live in this city!_ " A laugh broke his serious mood about getting the ring back at seeing the wolf so angry for the first time.

Looking back down, Rogue Wolf was glaring furiously up at him. "This was your doing?" Rogue questioned angrily, shaking her hair out and gagging once again as Chat was very happy that hadn't been him to fall in.

"No, but I think it might have been a surprise left by my lady." Chat mused upon looking at his staff again and seeing the red blip on his map heading away from here. She couldn't keep up with their running, but she made do with her own show of cunning.

Dropping in carefully and plugging his nose, Chat held an expecting hand out for the wolf to return what she had stolen.

"Well I'm not giving it back now, this will be more than deserved after you two made me fall in sewage waste!" Rogue hissed the latter half of her sentence, Chat not bothering to try to hide his laughter at her punishment from his amazing partner.

"Either you hand it to me, or I'll take it. I'd really rather not get so close to you before you get a bath, so make it easier on the both of us." Chat offered a little nicer than Ladybug had been earlier at the Louvre.

Rogue glared at him for half a second before taking off running down the sewers without another word, sighing and gagging again at the horrendous smells before taking off after her.

It was dark down here, but Chat fortunately had night vision. From seeing Rogue pull the goggles over her eyes, he had to assume she had the same as long as she wore those. Taking twisting turns here and there and nearly falling back in the water every so often, he had to wonder if she had any idea where she was going or if she was just trying to shake him.

Having finally had enough of the smells that would probably haunt him for the rest of his life, Chat vaulted at her, tackling her against a rusted old ladder and pinning her between himself and the ladder. Moving them to the side, he pressed her back against the wall now, snatching her wrists in his claws.

"I want out of here, and you probably want a bath. Give me the ring, and I'll let you go." Chat firmly ordered her this time, holding tighter to her as she struggled against him.

"Well aren't you just a killjoy." Rogue growled at him. Rolling his eyes, he moved her wrists so he could hold them both in one hand and pat her down for the ring with the other.

"I could give you over to the officers. Want me to be that much of a killjoy?" Chat asked as he patted down her arms first, moving down to her shoulders.

"I'd rather you just stop feeling me up like some pervert. First you straddle me in the Louvre, now we're alone. I can only worry where your thoughts run tonight." Rogue growled mockingly at him, golden eyes gleaming with her devious nature as he frowned at her.

"Is that how you really think I am? I thought you knew me better." Chat replied as he patted down her rib cage, finding no pockets like he had on his own suit.

"Aw, did I hurt the kitty cats feelings? Don't forget, I'm still a thief that irks your lover to now ends. All this playful banter and such is only that. Nothing more." Rogue reminded him as he suddenly realized Ladybug had seen all the smirks and banter they exchanged tonight. What would she think of this, would she still trust him or think he's going easy on the thief?

Claw pausing on her waist where he had been searching for the ring, he glared at the wolf in front of him that had warned him this night would be memorable. Was she purposefully trying to get between him and Ladybug.

Rogue growled as he pinned her tighter to the wall, glaring down at her as she looked up at him in surprise. "Your trying to make my lady lose faith in me?" Chat questioned the wolf, earning a confused look in those golden eyes.

"What are you on about? Since when do I care about you two, I helped you even. Now, I request that you help me out by letting me go so that I can go bathe." Rogue shoved her hips forward into his own to try to get him to let up on her.

Chat only glared at her more. He thought there was more to this wolf, but maybe this was all just a ruse to get him to let his guard down so she could get her job done. Maybe there was no nice side, only the manipulative side that got what she wanted done.

"Will you let go of me already?" Rogue questioned, shoving against him again. Nose burning from her stench, Chat was about to let go before he felt a jab against his hip, smirking at her.

Snaking his claw down, he found a zipper he hadn't felt before. Rogue thrashed against him as he undid it and slipped his claws in, pulling out the ring that he had been searching for. "Yeah, I think I'll let you go now. I've got what I wanted." Chat replied with a smirk, holding the ring in front of her eyes mockingly.

Rogue only smirked right back at him as he let her go. "Well done, kitty kitty. You got into a wolf's pants just to find a ring." Chat flushed at her words, looking down to realize she was right.

Stuttering in embarrassment, Chat took a step back away from the wolf. His foot slipped against something though, Rogue snatching a paw out and grabbing him by the hand that held the ring as he teetered on the edge of falling over.

"While I know you'd rather give Ladybug a ring, I'll be taking it this time. Enjoy your swim, kitty." Rogue purred before letting go of his hand and taking the ring.

With a splash, Chat fell back into the horrid waters as Rogue's laughter echoed out around him.

Breaching the surface of the water sputtering and gagging as Rogue had been, he looked around to see she was gone. Great, how was he going to explain this to Ladybug this time?

* * *

 **I'm not that late today! I'm still a little late, I know and I'm sorry, but not as late as last time!**

 **I like writing up action scenes like this, but I always feel like I didn't do it enough justice. I'm just not that good at writing them at times, so I apologize if it's not all that good. I hope it didn't ruin the mood though, because even though I'm not good at them I really enjoyed doing this chapter.**

 **Ladybug's starting to see the way Chat and Rogue aren't really acting like enemies, that can't be good at all. But not only that, Chat's still on the fence about how to really view someone who can change her tactics at the flip of a switch. It's all fun and games, until someone falls in sewer water that is. Just yuck!**

 **Thank you all so much for putting up with my late chapters. I'm so very sorry, I've been far too busy recently. I don't typically go in to details about why I'm falling behind in chapters or rushing them and they end up turning out sub par, but I hope you all understand and stick with me and the story through this. I promise, I won't give up on this story regardless of what's happening.**

 **So thank you all once again for reading, I'm gonna go ahead and start on the next chapter. Oh, also, can I just say how much I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE GLACIATOR EPISODE?! Also the Sapotis one! I really hope they get the rest of season 2 out soon, I can't wait just from what's already out. Let me know how all of you felt about season 2, and I'll see you next chapter!**


	20. Trust

Tiana growled as she looked over the ring between her fingers, absolutely annoyed with not the heroes but herself. How could she be so forgetful to have let this happen?

Chat had taken the ring from her suit and waved it in front of her face, she thought it was the right ring! But no, it was the decoy she had made and meant to leave back at the Louvre. In the rush and excitement of everything, it came right along with her when she left with the real one.

This was the only ring she had when she returned to the den as well, meaning the real one was somewhere out in Paris. Likely floating in the sewers because of Ladybug having left that manhole open for her to fall in to.

Huffing, Tiana walked over to her desk and dropped back into her chair, tapping away at her computer. Rogue Wolf was not going to take a win unless earned.

Setting up the software she needed, once everything was ready she sent a message to the kitty cat to let him know that none of them were the winners of tonight's revelries.

" _Be proud, kitty cat. You and your Ladybug kept the ring from me, the one you found on my person was a fake one that was supposed to be left at the Louvre. Your ladies ring is now somewhere out here in Paris, but likely floating down in the sewers. You heroes did your job and kept me from the prize._ "

Sending the message away to the still active hero, Tiana turned her gaze to her feasting Kwami friend. "You forgot to put your contacts back in." Verro revealed as Tiana huffed at him.

"I didn't forget to. I just chose not to put them back in." Tiana muttered as Verro continued eating.

"I don't know why you're so annoyed about this. It's not like they got to keep it." Verro's voice was muffled behind his feast that he was continuing to shove in his mouth.

"I'm not mad about the ring. I'm mad at myself for forgetting to leave the decoy behind. I forgot one of the most important parts of that job." Tiana pointed out before plucking the fake from her pocket and opening a drawer in her desk to dispose of it inside.

"Maybe if you weren't playing with your kitty cat you would have remembered." Tiana snapped her gaze to him with a glare of her mismatched eyes, Verro smirking back at her through his mouth full. "Ooh, it's been a while since I saw your angry blue and gold gaze." Verro mocked her before she turned away to find her contacts.

Finding them in another drawer of her desk, she walked away from Verro to go use the mirror in the bathroom.

Verro's laughter drifted after her before she slammed the door shut on him, turning to the mirror as she opened up the case for her contacts.

Looking in the mirror, Tiana carefully placed the blue contact over her right eye, blinking for a moment before reaching for the other. She wished she was like Grandfather, eyes just one color instead of two.

Mother had a fit when she was younger about her blue and gold eyes, getting her contacts that she hardly ever wore. But since renouncing her role as the General Wolf and taking on the Rogue Wolf, she had a change of heart herself. To be a little sneakier, she decided people seeing her with golden in her eyes would be too risky a tip as to her alternate ego.

So she agreed to continue wearing them, for now at least. It's been two years now of wearing them regularly, and she still didn't much care for them other than the fact that people won't stare at the fact that her right eye was gold while her left was blue.

Tiana remembered Verro telling her once when she was eight that it just made her more like a wolf, because a lot of wolves had mismatched eyes and that just made her unique. But she didn't like the stares, she didn't like people caring about how she looked more than who she really was.

"You got a message back from the pervert!" Verro called from the main room as Tiana finished putting in her contacts, walking out to find him sitting on her keyboard.

"I assume it's about how I just sent a message to his staff?" Tiana asked as she walked over and took a seat in her chair once again.

"Partly." Verro shrugged as Tiana looked at the message back from Chat Noir.

" _How is it you're messaging me? Only willing Miraculous users can make contact through our tools. As for the ring, my lady will be happy to hear we kept it out of your paws._ "

Tiana laughed right along with Verro at the cat's naivety.

" _You are a willing user, you allow citizens to message you both in the event of distress. Who ever said I was using my tools to message you right now?_ "

With that, Tiana closed out of the software to allow Chat Noir to stir and think on that, letting Verro open up whatever websites he wanted to watch videos on tonight.

Verro barely hit play on a documentary on wolves when the video paused again, the message window between herself and the kitty cat popping up out of her control this time as she leaned forward to try to figure out what was going on.

" _Well, I'm a little disappointed in you if you're texting me this with a phone then. I thought you would want to keep your identity a secret from heroes like us._ "

Tiana typed away quickly at her computer, unsure how Chat managed to force the message to go through to her when she had already cut the connection. "You did all that fancy techno hiding stuff, right?" Verro asked from his perch beside her keyboard as she typed.

"Yes, this computer and the internet and everything is off radar. If anyone even tried tracking it, they'd be routed to the middle of the Atlantic. I have no idea how he just did that." Tiana muttered as she turned her gaze to find Verro had an amused look in his golden eyes.

"Is this just your way of trying to hide that you _want_ to talk to him?" Verro questioned Tiana and in turn earned a roll of her eyes.

Turning her gaze back to the still opened message connection, Tiana smirked to herself. " _You can't say you're not just a little curious about my identity. But, sorry to say, I don't share with collared kitties. Guess you'll have to beg your lady for her identity._ "

Closing the application once again, Tiana popped Verro's video back up on the screen. So help her if he somehow sends it through to her once again.

The rest of the night was quiet, Tiana and Verro being left alone to relax and unwind from the heist. She was mildly surprised that she hadn't received any texts from Alya about the heist, as she knew that her friend had gone and likely recorded everything she saw. But nothing ever came.

The next day was a Saturday, usually a working at the theater day for her. But surprisingly, Mother said she wasn't needed at the theater for anything. So she was allowed to stay home.

"Your Grandfather probably told her to let you stay home." Verro commented as they sat outside on the balcony of her bedroom, enjoying a late lunch alone.

It was surprisingly quiet out today, the city must still be tired after last night.

Verro dashed into her shirt to hide as the balcony door opened, Louie walking out with the newspaper that she had asked for. "People are scrabbling to get newspapers all over the city. You're lucky Monsieur Roux has one delivered every day." Louie advised her and fortunately didn't notice the devious smirk she dawned at the news.

"Thank you Louie." Tiana replied, before noticing that he wasn't leaving like he usually did. Instead, he pulled up one of the extra chairs and took a seat beside her.

"Where were you last night? I checked in on you around midnight and you weren't in your room." Louie pointed out as Tiana fought the urge to grin at what she was doing at that time.

She couldn't exactly tell the man that she was robbing the most famous museum in all of Paris though, now could she?

"Are they promoting you to my nanny now?" Tiana asked instead with a teasing grin at the man as he smiled at her.

"No, I just took that job on myself since you run from all my other co-workers. But back to my question. You didn't sneak out to go watch that event at the Louvre with your friends, did you?" Louie asked as Tiana looked down at the newspaper he had handed to her.

Fighting off the urge to grin at the picture of her trapping Ladybug between herself and Chat Noir, she turned her gaze back to the brunette older man beside her. "No, Louie. I just spent the night snooping around this mansion." Tiana covered for herself with an innocent smile.

"Were you hiding out in your Grandfather's office?" Louie asked instead this time, since she was prone to spending a lot of time in the rooms of the estate that were reserved for him.

"Yeah, it's better than being in the rooms where your co-workers look at me sadly and ask me every five minutes if I need anything." Tiana replied with her innocent smile now replaced with a teasing one, Louie scoffing at her sass that he should be used to by now.

"Perhaps you should show them that you're happy even without your parents near, instead of running away from them and letting them continue to think that you're a lonely girl." Louie said honestly as Tiana opened the newspaper to find the full article about last night.

"Tried that." Tiana said without looking at him this time, finding the article after a few seconds of searching.

"Then try harder. From what I've learned about you in my little time here, you rarely ever give up. Why give up on them?" Louie questioned wisely as Tiana looked to him at last, examining this man beside her carefully.

"Are you sure you're only twenty?" Tiana asked, Louie laughing openly at the question as Tiana wondered if he just talked with Grandfather more than he did her. What he had said sounded much alike to something she'd expect Grandfather to say, after all.

"I'm pretty sure. Anyways, remember to bring that back when your done with it. Your Grandfather will appreciate getting to read it when he returns on Monday." Louie said as he stood up, bowing slightly to her before retreating back into her room and out to do his other jobs around the estate.

Once he was gone, Verro popped back out to sit on her shoulder. "They got very few pictures, but none of them of your face." Verro commented as he looked at the few pictures in the newspaper.

"Always avoid letting them see the face, if we can." Tiana reminded, before looking up as she heard a loud ruckus coming from over the security fence, standing up to see what all the commotion was about.

"Stray cats?" Verro asked, before something jumped onto the roof of one of the buildings across the street from the wall. Verro snorted as Tiana realized it was a worse for wear Chat Noir. "I was right, yet again." Verro gloated as Tiana fought the ever growing urge to laugh.

From the looks of it, kitty cat must have been looking down in the sewers for the ring. Even without Verro boosting her hearing as Rogue, she could the unusual colorful language and grunts of annoyance coming from the hero.

At one particularly loud one, she couldn't help the laugh that slipped free, covering her mouth as Chat Noir's gaze snapped over to her. Verro ducked back inside her shirt just as quick as Chat locked eyes with her.

His demeanor changed quickly from obvious annoyance at his situation to the usual charm and happiness that was associated with him. " _Ma beauté_ , I hadn't realized I was close to your home today." Chat called over to her, bowing to her and nearly slipping off the roof he was standing on from doing so.

"How? I'd think it hard not to miss the prison walls." Tiana motioned to the tall brick wall of which they had to talk over.

Even from the distance that separated them, she saw Chat's gaze flicker to a troubled one at her words for a brief moment before returning to the usual happiness. "I was busy searching for something, my apologies." Chat said as he crouched lower on the roof, obviously trying not to slip again.

Tiana couldn't resist the laughter this time, wondering if he willingly went searching in the sewers or if Ladybug made him do it. "You look worse for wear, did you find what you were looking for?" Tiana asked, sitting up on the railing of her balcony as she smiled innocently his way.

"Sadly no. I'd offer to come over there so as to not keep shouting over a wall, but I feel like your bodyguard wouldn't enjoy that very much." Chat said as Tiana rolled her eyes at the mention of Beau. The man didn't enjoy anything that she did typically.

"He doesn't have much say as long as I'm on the property, but the actual security probably wouldn't be too happy." Tiana said as she pointed towards the obvious camera mounted a ways down the building. "But they can't really say much if I willingly allow you over." Tiana continued with a shrug.

Even though that wasn't actually an invitation, Chat Noir pounced over onto her balcony a second later. A gag immediately left her mouth, covering her nose and mouth as she stared at the cat like he was crazy.

" _Merde_ , I'm sorry! I've got vapo rub on under my nose so I forgot about the smell." Chat muttered before moving to the other end of the balcony away from her.

Reaching into the pocket on his chest, he pulled out a little tube of what she assumed to be the vapo rub, offering her the tube with an apologetic smile.

"Yeah I'm good, I'll probably still smell it even with that under my nose." Tiana said as she scooted a little further back away from Chat. She already had to deal with the smell last night, it took almost an hour in the shower just to get rid of it!

"I'm sorry." Chat muttered once again, opening the tube and swiping more under his nose before returning it to his pocket. Looking down, his tail was wrapped around his leg sheepishly as he looked away from her and to the city outside the walls, cat ears flat against his hair.

"It's fine, you just smell like a stray is all." Tiana teased lightly, surprised when Chat's mood didn't lift that much. "So what were you searching for that got you smelling so horrid?" Tiana asked curiously, dragging her chair over to the other side of the balcony so she could sit but not be blasted by the intensity of his scent.

"I see you have the newspaper over there. I'm looking for something that got lost in the chaos that was last night, my lady's orders." Chat shrugged at the mention of it being by Ladybug's orders, resisting the urge to laugh at how she didn't want to get her hands dirty but was more than willing to let the cat swim in the muck.

"I thought the papers said that the thief didn't get away with anything." Tiana said with an innocent tilt of her head, almost swatting Verro as she heard him cackling quietly from his hiding spot on her.

"She didn't get to keep it." Chat corrected with a smile as he folded his arms over his chest proudly. "We'll retrieve it before she can, don't you worry." Chat assured as Tiana smiled at his confidence and pride over his job.

If they actually manage to find that teeny little ring wherever it fell in the city, she'll french the kitty. No way they were going to find it.

"Good luck with that." Tiana hadn't meant to show her disbelief over them finding the ring, but Chat seemed amused by her reaction, laughing a little as he took a brief step towards her before realizing he shouldn't and stepped back again.

"You don't believe we'll find it? You don't even know what it was she lost." Chat pointed out as Tiana folded the newspaper back up and dropped it beside her chair.

True, the newspaper didn't disclose what was taken. It did have a statement from Ladybug telling that the wolf had lost what was stolen and that she and Chat would be retrieving it before she could even blink. She should have known Chat would tell his partner as soon as he could, but it did mildly annoy her none the less.

"No, but I've seen how big this city is. And judging from your smell, I'd say it's in the sewers?" Tiana asked as she pinched her nose for emphasis, Chat slouching a little as he leaned against the railing. So adorable when he's acting like a pouting kitten.

"We'll find it. You can trust us on that, _ma belle_." Chat assured her once more, Tiana chuckling quietly at the nickname. "But how's about we make this interesting." Chat offered with a devious grin that peeked her curiosity.

"What do you mean by that?" Tiana asked, unable to deny the pull that devious grin he wore had. It definitely spoke to his cat like qualities.

"If I find what was lost by the thief before next Friday, you'll promise to stop sneaking out and putting yourself in possibly dangerous situations." Chat offered, laughing when she openly scoffed at him for the insinuation that she willingly endangers herself as Tiana.

"One time, do you do this to all the women of Paris you rescue?" Tiana questioned as Chat leaned back on the railing more, clawed fingers clicking against the metal as his tail swished between his legs.

"No, just the new one's who don't listen to their bodyguard and go off alone." Chat replied with a Cheshire grin. She wondered how he'd look dressed up as the Cheshire Cat for Halloween...

"If you don't find it, you can't get on me about my exploration anymore then." Tiana offered in exchange to his end of the bargain.

He'll probably not find it, but if he does she'll just take it again. She didn't like leaving the people who were willing to pay her to retrieve it empty handed. Plus, the money would go to good uses.

Chat laughed at her, turning his green eyes down to his boots before back up at her. As he opened his mouth to answer, beeping sounded from behind him. It took him not more than a few seconds to pull out his staff. "Alright, it's a deal then, _ma belle_. I've got to go keep looking, have a lovely weekend." Chat said before vaulting off her balcony and over the wall once again.

Verro didn't hesitate to zoom out of her shirt and glare in the direction of the cat for a moment before at her. "Are you trying to give away who you are?" Verro questioned her and in turn earned an eye roll.

"If I stroke the kitties pride, he'll never see the truth in front of him. Besides, as far as he's aware I'm just some girl locked away in her home all day by her parents. How do you expect him to put me together with a wolf?" Tiana asked in turn with a cheeky yet knowing grin, Verro huffing before floating through the balcony doors into her bedroom.

"Oh and by the way, I heard the french the kitty thought." Verro called to her, Tiana jumping up to chase him for abusing his connection to her once again.

* * *

Ladybug waited patiently for Chat to come running, leaning her folded arms on the cold railing. It's been a few years since they've met up on this balcony, last time being when he set up the picnic that he was torn over when she didn't show up.

She had figured this would probably be a good spot to ask him the question she was dreading to ask.

But it had to be done. She couldn't just overlook his friendly demeanor with their enemy any longer, push it off as just being bantering or any other excuse. She needed to know what was going on, if she had reason to doubt her trust in her partner.

"My Lady, you chose our spot." Ladybug stood up straight as Chat bounded over the railing, excitement dancing across his eyes before she jumped away from him as a horrid stench permeated the air.

"You smell horrible!" Ladybug clasped a hand over her mouth and nose with her outburst, Chat's ears flattening against his head as he stepped away from her quickly.

"I was looking for the ring in the sewers, I'm sorry if I don't smell as divine as I usually do." Chat muttered as he tried to keep a charming smile up, but his annoyance about his situation showed in the rapid flicking of his tail.

"Did you find it?" Ladybug asked instead of questioning him about if he was actually swimming in the filth of Paris.

"No, I've been using my staff to scan for any rare metals in the sewage, like the gold that's on the ring, but no such luck yet." Chat advised with a shrug of his shoulders. "Did you need me for something, bugaboo? You haven't met me here since..." Chat cut short with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows at her, turning away from him to prevent him from seeing the roll of her eyes.

"Has that wolf made contact with you anymore?" Ladybug asked instead of playing to his flirty attitude.

"No, not since last time. I have doubts that she will either, she's smart that one." Chat responded with a small smile that to anyone else would have been unnoticeable. But after working with him all this time, she's learned all his ticks and quirks.

"Have you attempted making contact with her?" Ladybug hadn't meant it to sound as snippy as it had, but it slipped. Chat dawned a confused look in his eyes at her demeanor none the less.

"Of course not. Why would I-"

"You two seemed awful cheerful and friendly with one another during that whole debacle last night, Chat." Ladybug pointed out, her partner drawing an offended scoff as he stepped closer to her.

"I banter with everyone, my lady. It doesn't mean anything." Chat replied as he perched his claws on his hips.

It was true, he did exchange witty banter and teasing with almost every Akumatized villain they fought, as well as the common day petty criminals. But the way he was around the wolf was like he's had far too much contact with her.

"Did you know before hand that she was going to target the Louvre?" Ladybug asked, matching his pose by planting her hands on her own hips. "Because she said she told you that she would give both of us something to remember. And I don't ever remember hearing you tell me that she'd warned you of another crime she would be committing." Ladybug advised and Chat dawned a thoughtful look for a moment before sighing.

"No, I didn't know she was going to target the Louvre. I came across her one night on patrol, and she made an offhand comment that she would give us something to remember. It had been a long day, it must have slipped my mind to tell you." Chat explained to her, but she felt as though he was purposefully leaving out some details of the encounter.

Ladybug stared him down for a moment, watching for any breaks in his demeanor only to see none. Sighing, she decided to get to the chase. "Chat, I need to know something from you." Ladybug said, taking a step further away from him when he got closer as his smell was too revolting.

"Does it have to do with Rogue?" Chat asked as he pulled a tube of something out of the pocket on his rib cage, opening it and swiping it below his nose. Well, that would explain how he tolerates that smell...

"Yes. Have you been encountering her more on your patrols and not been telling me? Or been talking to her more and not telling me?" Ladybug asked carefully, Chat looking at her in surprise to even having to ask this. But she needed to know, she needed to hear it from his own mouth.

"You don't trust my word?" Chat questioned with an indignant frown cast on her.

"Chat, I need to know. You're my partner, we're supposed to tell each other everything. Especially why you're way too friendly with a criminal who not only embarrassed both of us last night but lost one of the exhibits from the Louvre." Ladybug reminded with a wave towards him and his horrid stench.

"I do tell you everything!" Chat waved his arms around him before composing himself with a deep breath. "I told you every time she'd make me feel like less of a hero, why can't you believe me? First you don't believe me on how I feel, and now this?" Ladybug sighed as Chat turned away from her, putting his back to her as he clicked his claws on the railing he had previously been leaning on.

"Chat, how you feel about me right now isn't important. Catching that wolf and getting that ring back, that's what matters." Ladybug reminded him only to get a dry laugh in response.

"No, Ladybug, I am not hiding anything from you. Yes, I've encountered her again, but she didn't commit any crimes. I didn't tell you because I forgot, and I also felt on the fence about her because she had saved that little girl. I didn't know whether to believe if she's really a criminal or if she could be a hero like us." Chat explained with a flat tone, still not turning to look her in the eye as he spoke.

Ladybug sighed, leaning back against the railing on her end as she processed his words. She knew Chat was confused about the whole situation of helping the little girl during the Dark Gem fight, but she didn't know it stuck with him. She had told him, regardless of if Rogue Wolf was capable of being good, she chose willingly to perform bad deeds.

"Don't worry though, my lady. I know now that she's still very much a criminal. A neutral one, but a criminal none the less." Chat said as she watched his tail swish behind him irritatingly.

"So there's nothing going on between you two? You're not befriending her or anything?" Ladybug asked as Chat looked over his shoulder at her.

"No, I'm not befriending her. A little playful banter doesn't hurt anyone. But it does sting a little that our enemy listens to me a little better than my own partner." Chat replied vindictively, Ladybug only able to gape at him in response for his attitude.

What was that supposed to mean? She listens to him! She's always listened. Just because right now she's unsure about his behavior to the wolf doesn't mean she doesn't listen.

"I do listen to you Chat. But when I see what looks like you possibly becoming friends with that thief, I have to ask." Ladybug said but Chat just kept his back to her, seeming to shrink further into himself.

Frowning, Ladybug did her best to ignore the foul stench and walked over to him.

"You shouldn't even have to ask me. We've been working together three years, you should trust me the way I trust you. Even the little amount I've talked to Rogue, she believes me when I say we're going to do our best to stop her or tell her you're the only woman I have eyes for." Chat muttered the latter half of his sentence, Ladybug sighing as she stepped up beside him.

Leaning against the railing in the same posture as he was, she leaned down further to cross her arms on the metal as she did her best to ignore Chat's smell and focus on the more important thing at the moment. "I trust you Chat. It's her I don't trust. She just makes me reevaluate everything I've learned from this job, we've never had a villain like her before." Ladybug reminded her friend, as even though she was a villain she wasn't consistently trying to get their Miraculous like Hawk Moth.

Chat didn't say anything, just kept his gaze in the distance like a pouting kitten.

"As for how you feel, I told you years ago. You're my friend Chat, I don't feel that way about you if you still have a crush on me."

"It's not just a crush..."

Ladybug sighed, watching as Chat rubbed a gloved hand over his face before glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Chat-"

"You honestly think it's just a little crush when it's still going after three years? I don't just have some crush on you Ladybug, it's so much more than that." Chat interrupted her, green eyes blazing with a passion she's seen few times and which made her heart beat faster.

Yes, they've danced around this topic since the talk after the Glaciator fight, but back then she honestly thought it would go away with time. It also confused her how it still made her heart race just to see Chat this emotionally vulnerable.

"I know, you're about to tell me there's another boy still." Chat grumbled as he sunk down to fold his arms on the railing, resting his chin on them once he did.

"Chat..." Ladybug trailed off, at a loss for words as all these years she just thought it was petty flirting and that he'd somewhat moved on from the crush he once had. He held out hope for these three years though that she would return how he felt?

A burning sensation rose to her face as she looked away from her pouting partner, looking out at the city around them instead.

"I'm sorry..." Ladybug apologized softly for not believing him all this time, for making him feel like she hadn't been listening or that she wasn't a good partner. She's been so focused on trying to protect Paris from this thief that she hadn't really realized that maybe there was more going on that was pulling her and Chat apart.

"So am I." Chat murmured, standing up straight now as Ladybug looked back at her. "You've got nothing to worry about, I'm not leaving your side for the wolf's. Even if you don't feel the same way about me that I do about you." Chat rubbed his hands over his face like he was trying to push back the pain he was obviously feeling.

"Chat, you're one of my closest friends. I don't want to risk everything we have, I'm afraid to risk everything even for what might just be a pipe dream. Our jobs come before us, Chat." Ladybug explained, standing up from her position against the railing.

"Can you honestly say you've not once considered us, my lady?" Ladybug bit her lower lip, unable to deny she had thought about it on some of her lower nights when Adrien seemed like an unattainable cloud drifting further away. But that was a while back, not any time recent. It was as fleeting as she thought his feelings would be for her.

Chat was suddenly in front of her with a determined look blazing in his piercing green eyes, making her shrink back against the railing. "Chat-"

"If you're afraid to risk everything, then that must mean you've considered it at one point or another. Please don't close the door on me just yet, bugaboo. I know you like this boy, but we could always be an option too. If you'd let us." Chat said honestly, before a trio of beeps came from his hand.

Looking down at his hand, Ladybug only looked right back up as Chat's other clawed hand came to rest on her chin, illuminating red when he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before turning and dashing over the roof and away from her. All she could think of in that moment was the loud pounding of her heart in her ears and throat as she watched him disappear.

* * *

 **You didn't actually believe that Rogue would get away so easily with that prize, did you? I think I teased it last chapter, I can't honestly remember. But ooh, now they have to search for the missing ring, meaning the kitty has to suffer most as the other two aren't willing to torment their noses with that horrid job.**

 **I kinda feel bad though for the latter half of this chapter. I wish I'd seen the Glaciator episode before I started the whole Chat and Ladybug's current relationship thing, so I wouldn't feel like I'm just having to bandage over everything. I hope that this worked out though, poor kitty cat. Someday you're Princess will come!**

 **I totally didn't hear the lyrics for Someday My Prince Will Come in my head as I typed that...**

 **Anyways, thank you all so much for reading! I can't believe that we've already hit nearly 4000 reads as well as many of you who have favorited and alerted! Thank you all so much, I can never tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you! So I'll get back to work on the next chapter, which I haven't started yet, and see you next chapter!**


	21. Developing

Adrien fought the urge to laugh at Marinette's stumbling over her own words, walking beside her as they made their way to a lovely little cafe she had asked him if he wanted to go to with her for lunch. The others were off doing who knows what, so he agreed to go with her.

It was better than listening to Alya go on and on about the heist the other night. Losing the ring and having to search in the nasty sewers, yeah that sucked. But being reminded of not only that but his talk with Ladybug that next day, he really didn't want to stick around.

He spent all day yesterday thinking over not only Ladybug's wavering trust in him, but the fact that she openly said she didn't have feelings for him still. Nothing he's done for her over the years to try to sway her has even changed that a little?

Yeah, she was scared of risking their friendship which meant that she's considered the idea. But it could have been just a fleeting thought. Not hours upon hours of thought on what it would be like to have an actual relationship together like he's agonized many nights over.

"So did Tiana tell you what her mother's performance is going to be? Every time I ask her, she tells me it's a secret." Marinette's lower lip stuck out in a pout, chuckling at her persistence.

"No, her mother is supposed to be revealing it next Friday is all I know. She said opening night will be around the end of school though." Adrien offered, laughing when Marinette squealed with excitement for a moment before clapping her hand over her mouth. An embarrassed red came to her face as he just continued laughing at her excitement over the play.

"Sorry." Marinette apologized quietly as he cleared his throat to try to stop laughing.

"You don't have to apologize. You're excited, I'm kind of excited too. Father's been helping with the designs of the costumes, it sounds like Tiana's Mother is going all out for this one." Adrien said as they slowed their walk, coming upon the cafe they would be having lunch in.

"I wonder if she has a part in it. She's been so busy working on it with her mother." Marinette commented before a waitress greeted them and led them to a table.

Once they were seated and the waitress walked off with their drink orders, Adrien noticed the way Marinette kept glancing at her phone every so often. "Everything alright?" Adrien asked, startling her how he wasn't sure but managing to catch her phone when it flew into the air in her surprise, handing it back with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah everything's fine." Marinette said after taking a breath and shining a sheepish smile his way. "I'm just trying to make sure Nathaniel's alright, I noticed he and Tiana weren't really talking right now." Marinette revealed, the waitress returning with their drinks faster than he thought they would. Giving her their orders, she left just as quick once again.

Taking a deep chug from his iced tea, he noticed as Marinette looked at her phone once again. "I'll talk to him when we go back to class. Something's going on with him, Tiana's just giving him time to sort through whatever is going on in his head and told him she'll be waiting for when he's ready to talk." Adrien revealed as he noticed a troubled look overtake Marinette's eyes. "What?" Adrien asked, Marinette taking a long sip from her own tea.

"I might know what's bothering him." Marinette muttered quietly, Adrien smiling at her since she was always so smart.

"What is it?" Adrien asked, figuring instead of telling Tiana he would go to Nathaniel since he already offered to talk to him to Tiana. He'll just talk with Nathaniel and help him sort through whatever is making him want to push away from Tiana.

"He...might have feelings for her..." Marinette almost whispered her words as she stirred her straw around in her glass. Adrien just stared at her for a moment, letting her words sink in.

Nathaniel might have feelings for Tiana? Last he knew, he had feelings for Marinette herself... Then again, he was almost akumatized again because Chloe called him out for having feelings for Tiana. Maybe Marinette was right...

His stomach dropped a little at that moment, confusing him. What was he feeling so off about? If Nathaniel had feelings for Tiana, or was developing them, that's good right?

Was he just subconsciously thinking about his own misfortunes with his love life?

"How sure are you about that?" Adrien asked carefully, frowning when Marinette just looked all the more troubled at his question.

"I-I'm not very. I'm suspecting it, but I think he might still have feelings for... me." Marinette muttered quietly, a red hue washing over her usually porcelain skin.

Nathaniel still having a crush on Marinette was easier to understand than the one of him developing feelings for Tiana. It just all felt mixed up and a mess. If he really was developing feelings for Tiana though, he feels like she would know and have talked about it with the red head.

Tiana was a bright girl after all, from what he's learned. She knew something was up with Nathaniel, he feels like she'd be capable of discerning if it were about him having feelings for her.

The topic was put on hold as the waitress returned with their food, thanking the woman before she was gone once again.

"I'll talk with Nathaniel when we get back. I'll make sure to keep you out of it if he asks me why I'm talking to him about this, of course." Adrien assured Marinette when he noticed a worried look take over her blue eyes at the mention of talking with Nathaniel.

"Thanks, Adrien." Marinette thanked him quietly as he smiled at her, wishing deep down that his own love problems were so simple as just talking it out.

Adrien turned away when he heard giggling behind him, seeing nothing behind him before turning back to Marinette to see her waving a frantic hand in front of her.

"Sorry, there was a bee." Marinette said before taking another sip of her drink.

Okay...

"So why'd you ask me to come here just the two of us? Is everything alright?" Adrien asked as he picked at his pasta, Marinette taking a bite from her own salad.

"Yeah, everything's fine." Marinette assured him with a smile at last, putting her phone down on her lap at last. Good, he'd rather see her looking him in the eye as she talked instead of at a phone screen like Chloe always does when they're together.

"Good, I'm glad you're not under a lot of stress anymore." Adrien said before just enjoying their lunch together. It was nice when it was just the two of them. He enjoyed being with all his friends, but when he's with Marinette alone it's just a little more comfortable, like he can relax a bit easier.

Even though she always seemed on edge, it was easy to just unwind around her. He's starting to get that feeling with Tiana, but he'd rather not bother her when it seems she has things going on of her own. Besides, he talks with her all the time, especially when they have practice and he partners up with her.

"Thank you for worrying about me Adrien, it means a lot." Marinette murmured quietly as her porcelain skin once more flushed red. He smiled at her as she tried to hide her face behind her glass of tea, taking another bite of his food.

"You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad we're talking normally again, I thought I'd said something to upset you but Tiana told me you were just going through some things. I'm glad you asked me to come out for lunch today." Adrien admitted which only served to make her all the more bashful.

"I am too, it's nice when it's just the two of us." Marinette said so quietly he almost didn't hear her, smiling at her when she at last dawned a smile of her own over her shyness.

Whatever tension Marinette was feeling alleviated after that, so they had a lovely chat as they continued eating their lunch. Soon it was time to go back to class though, paying the bill for both of them much to Marinette's chagrin.

"Please, it's only fair. The gentleman always pays." Adrien reminded Marinette as they walked out of the cafe, Marinette sighing beside him since she must have realized he wouldn't be swayed on this topic.

"I was the one who asked you if you wanted to come get lunch though." Marinette tried to argue one last time, chuckling at her determination to wanting to pay the bill.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm a gentleman, I can't in good conscious let you pay the bill Mari." Adrien reminded before hearing giggling again, turning around only to see nothing again.

Did he have fans following him again and he just wasn't seeing it?

When he turned back around he nearly crashed into Marinette, barely catching his balance before noticing she was looking at something down the street. Following her gaze, he spotted Chloe.

The more surprising part of that was that she wasn't with Sabrina like usual, she was with Nathaniel.

"What is she doing with Nathaniel?" Marinette hissed, sighing as he stepped up beside her so he could walk beside her once again.

"I don't know. She's trying to be nicer, she might be actually doing something helpful." Adrien defended Chloe, frowning when Marinette just scoffed at his words.

"Remember what happened last time you tried to get her to be nicer? It lasted all of a few hours before she continued being mean again and Ivan smashed Macaroons on her head." Marinette reminded him, grinning happily with a tint of deviousness at the memory.

It's kind of scary to think of Marinette in a devious way...

"I know, I remember. But she's really trying this time. She was trying to help that day in the library, it's just she doesn't really know the right way to do it. Don't count her out just yet." Adrien said as they continued walking, watching the way Chloe was basically forcing Nathaniel to walk with her.

He wished he had Chat Noir's hearing, it would definitely help right now to figure out what Chloe was trying to do.

From the looks of it, they were heading back to class just like he and Marinette. But the way Chloe was walking as if forcing Nathaniel to go along, he wondered if he ever really had a choice about going anywhere with Chloe.

"I just hope she doesn't make things worse again. It would be better if you talked to him, not her." Marinette muttered as they kept their distance back away from the other two.

As they got within viewing distance of the school, Nathaniel broke away from Chloe and rushed back to the school. Whatever it was, Nathaniel sure was in a rush to get away from her.

Chloe flipped her ponytail before heading inside as well.

"That didn't go well from the looks of it." Marinette commented, folding her arms over her chest before stopping herself when she saw him watching her.

"We don't know for sure. We'll find out though, I'm sure." Adrien said with a shrug as Marinette dawned another troubled look. Before he could even open his mouth to ask what was going on, Marinette beat him to it.

"Thank you for offering to talk to him. And for getting lunch with me today." Marinette thanked him this time without almost whispering her words. He flashed her a smile in response to not letting her shyness get the best of her this time.

"You really don't need to thank me. This was nice, it's not often that just you and I get to hang out. Let me know if you wanna do it again." Adrien offered as they stopped at the bottom of the steps up to the building, jumping to the side as Alya, Mylène, Juleka, Rose and Alix suddenly dashed past him and up the stairs while giggling loudly.

Looking back to Marinette, he tilted his head in confusion as he watched her cast a weak glare in the direction their friends ran before noticing he saw her and grinning sheepishly. Odd...

"Since you mentioned that... would you like to maybe go catch a movie this week? This time we won't have to dress in ridiculous disguises." Both of them laughed at the memory. Has it really been that long since he caught a movie with her?

"Sure, Marinette. That sounds like fun. Let me know what you want to see and I'll look into the movie times." Adrien said before the warning bell rang, both of them dashing up the steps to get to class before they are considered late.

As they rushed into the class, Tiana ran in right behind them. Before he had a chance to ask her how her lunch break went, she was snatched up by Alya and dragged away.

Whatever is going on with the girls today, he doesn't know whether to be curious or afraid.

The girls all settled down as class began once again, so he was left to his own thoughts once again as he absentmindedly took notes.

He didn't want to be alone to his own thoughts anymore. Since Saturday, all he's been able to think about is searching for that damned ring in the filth riddled sewers or his talk with Ladybug.

Why couldn't she feel the same way for him? Why not when he's spent all these years trying his hardest and doing his best to prove his feelings were real. That they wouldn't just go away.

Who was this boy that she still loved more than him after three years of proving his unyielding loyalty to her? What did he have that made Ladybug choose this other boy over himself?

He was pulled from his own thoughts at last when they were tasked with doing work sheets in pairs, sticking with Nino as so far he was the only one who could tell something was up. He was his best friend, so he wasn't really surprised.

"Is this about that girl again?" Nino whispered to him as they worked together, the rest of the class talking much louder than they were right then.

"Yes." Adrien answered simply, Nino sighing in response to him as he scribbled out an answer on the work sheet.

"What happened? Did she reject you?" Nino asked which only served to make his heart drop painfully at knowing that yes, technically Ladybug was rejecting his love for her.

"Yeah, she did. She likes some other guy." Adrien muttered bitterly as he hurriedly scribbled out a few more answers on the work sheet, noticing Nino's sympathetic look out of the corner of his eye but deciding to try to ignore it.

"Dude, I'm sorry." Nino whispered as they came to a finish with their work sheet. With a look around at the others, it would appear they were the first ones done. "You never know, she might lose interest in that other dude and finally give you a chance." Nino pointed out the thing he's been telling himself for three years. While it did help to hear those words from someone else, it didn't really do much to help him forget the painful thud of his heart against his ribs at knowing she's rejected him not once but twice now.

"I hope that every day." Adrien replied quietly to his best friend before standing up to go turn in their work sheet.

Class passed moderately fast after that point until finally it was over and he had practice. Hopefully taking out all his frustration during practice would help, a work out usually did that for him.

As he gathered his things and was about to walk with Tiana to the locker rooms, he noticed her still sitting at her desk. Nathaniel still sat beside her, but his face was a light red as they whispered to one another.

Oh yeah, he needed to talk to Nathaniel about him possibly having feelings for Tiana... That will have to wait until she's not nearby then.

He heard Plagg mutter something from his hiding spot in the pocket of his shirt before realizing he could make out what Nathaniel was saying. Since when is he able to hear as good as Chat Noir when not transformed?

"If you wanted to talk to me, you could have called me." Tiana said as he stood up from his desk, walking down to the door to wait for Tiana.

"I didn't know if you were allowed to go out this weekend since you said you couldn't go to the Louvre on Friday." Nathaniel replied to her as their other class mates began filing out quickly.

"I wasn't, but you could have called or texted me and come over." Tiana said, reminding him of the fact that he, well Chat Noir, saw her on Saturday. He should really find that ring before Friday just so he can gloat over the fact he won the wager. He already knew she would probably still go off alone in the city anyways.

"I'm sorry, it's really not something I wanted to say over the phone." Nathaniel muttered so quietly he almost didn't hear. He felt like Plagg had something to do with the reason why he could hear them right now.

"Well, you can tell me now before I go to practice." Tiana offered, hearing a sigh from Nathaniel before noticing they were walking down towards the door.

Walking further away to make sure he didn't get caught, he suddenly realized his eavesdropping wasn't the right thing to do. Why was he doing this anyways, Plagg's curiosity was starting to get to him.

"I...might-" Adrien walked further away upon hearing the nervousness in Nathaniel's tone, deciding he'll just meet up with Tiana at the locker rooms. It wouldn't be right of him to listen in on what was obviously a private discussion.

Getting to the locker room, he plucked Plagg out of his shirt before pulling it off. "What did you do that for? We were about to hear some juicy secrets!" Plagg whined as he floated into his locker, looking around to make sure no one else was around to hear him.

"So that was you." Adrien knew it had to be something to do with his Kwami, he said something right before his hearing got a boost.

"Of course it was, what you think your little human ears can pick up on things that easily? I wanted some juicy secrets, I've been bored all weekend with you moping about your lady." Plagg mocked him with a bow before he slammed the locker shut on him. Turning his back to his locker, he continued pulling on his uniform.

"That doesn't make it okay to invade on peoples private conversations, Plagg." Adrien reprimanded his Kwami, deciding he'll ask him when they get home how it was he was able to do that in the first place. He's never done that with him before when not transformed.

"Hey, you should be curious. Your _belle_ is having a private, personal discussion with someone that isn't us." Plagg pointed out, bopping him on the nose with the _belle_ nickname to remind him that he had called Tiana that when he saw her Saturday.

"She's not my beautiful, she's my friend. I call everyone by nicknames when we're Chat Noir." Adrien reminded as he opened his locker again to pull out his equipment and throw his bag inside it.

"I never heard you call Ladybug your beautiful. Or beauty. Maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something, like mine tells me I need Camembert now." Plagg zipped away and into his bag to search for his gooey snack, rolling his eyes at him.

"Nicknames don't mean there's anything going on." Adrien remarked before closing his locker to go head out to the courtyard and wait for practice to begin.

Just as he walked out of the locker room, his shoulder bumped into Tiana's as she was just arriving.

"Sorry, Agreste." Tiana apologized before moving past him without another word and going to change.

That...was weird. Usually she's not so short worded or quick to leave. What happened to her in the few minutes since he last saw her?

When Tiana came back out a few minutes later, he walked over to her as she took a seat on the bench to wait for Roux to arrive. "Everything alright?" Adrien asked as he sat down beside her, watching as she toyed with her Sabre.

"Yeah, just thinking." Tiana replied without meeting his eye like she typically does when talking to anyone.

"Penny fur your thoughts?" Adrien hadn't meant to make a pun, it just slipped out like it usually does from time to time.

Tiana looked at him at last though with a curious expression before giggling quietly at him. He offered her a gentle smile, glad she didn't question his lapse in character.

"You're so weird." Tiana commented, scoffing loudly as he held a hand over his heart to portray that she's hurt him.

"You wound me." Adrien teased, before noticing that the class had an audience. Up on the balcony was Nathaniel, who looked away as soon as he noticed he was spotted.

As he looked to Tiana to ask if she knew why he was watching their class, he noticed her looking away from the red head as well. "Chloe took Nathaniel out for lunch today. Apparently they had a little chat while she was dragging him around." Tiana advised, reminding him of how he had seen the two when he and Mari were coming back from lunch.

"I saw them heading back to class. Marinette and I were coming back and saw her walking with him, I thought she was just trying to be nice." Adrien said before Tiana scoffed indignantly at his words.

"Well her idea of being nice is still laughable. She tried convincing him to tell me that he's starting to develop feelings for some girl." Adrien just blinked at her, wondering if she was really so blind or just willfully chose not to see what was right in front of her.

"You have any idea who the girl is?" Adrien asked, glancing at Nathaniel up on the balcony for a brief moment before back at Tiana.

"Well it's Marinette, it's not a developing thing. He's liked her for a long while, it's not hard to see." Tiana commented with a shrug before looking to him after glancing Nathaniel's way again. "I already knew that, so I don't see why she tried convincing him to tell me something I already know." Tiana shrugged once more as he fought the urge to tell her.

It wasn't his place to say, this was between them. He shouldn't be the one to tell her that Nathaniel's likely developing feelings for her over Marinette.

"Why do you look like you're fighting the urge to say something?" Tiana asked, dragging him out of his thoughts.

"It's really not my place to say anything. Besides, me offering advice about anything to do with relationships or love is asking for trouble." Adrien replied honestly, Tiana bumping her shoulder with his a second later.

"Don't be like that, negativity never helped anything. Did something happen?" Tiana asked with a comforting smile and warm look in her blue eyes.

"Yeah, just rejected again. Nothing new." Adrien murmured gloomily before freezing as Tiana leaned her head on his shoulder, looking to her in surprise as they hadn't really had much physical contact since he told her about his dilemma in her Grandfather's studio.

His body relaxed as he just enjoyed the physical comfort, unable to deny that this helped a lot more than just sitting and stewing on why he couldn't have the woman he loved.

"It's her loss, remember. If she's so blind, let it be her problem. Not yours. You can find happiness everywhere, not just in her." Tiana's words sunk into him, lifting some of the pressure that's been squeezing his heart since Saturday.

How did he get so lucky as to have a friend so willing to help him not let the darkness get to his heart? She has so much going on in her own life, but yet she doesn't hesitate to try to help him with his own turmoil.

Sneaking an arm around her, he returned her comfort with a side hug. "Thanks, Tiana. You have no idea how much that helps me right now." Adrien murmured as Tiana giggled quietly at him. Even her quiet little giggling helped more than just blindly hoping that Ladybug will change her mind and finally be with him.

"I think I'm gonna stop calling you Agreste now." Tiana revealed, casting her a curious expression as she lifted her head from his shoulder. "I think lover boy will suit you much better." Tiana commented with a teasing smile, gaping at her for her open teasing about his love dilemma's.

"Please don't." Adrien tried to coerce her, but she only grinned at him in response.

"Nope, it's settled. From now on, you're lover boy. I mean, if you keep waiting after she's hurt you so much, you deserve the lover boy title." Tiana explained as he sighed at her logic.

The urge to refer to her as Princess tickled his tongue, but he couldn't risk tipping her off to the fact that he was the cat that visited her on her balcony. A devious grin suddenly stole over his lips as he remembered her comment about Chat Noir the day they all played Truth or Dare at her estate.

"Oh no, why are you grinning like that?" Tiana asked as he noticed the amused twinkle in her eyes as she looked at him.

"So I should come up with a new title for you then. Should I choose something that has to do with Chat Noir, you know since you find him so handsome?" Adrien asked with a grin still held, feeling the pride over knowing she thought his alter ego was cute make him want to show off like he usually did when transformed.

Tiana didn't look very amused by his comment, so he started laughing. "I said he was cute, for your information. There's a difference between the two." Tiana corrected him but he just continued laughing at her reaction.

"There really isn't." Adrien argued before a name struck his mind, cutting his laughter short. "So does that mean that you want to be his kitten?" Adrien asked teasingly, earning a swat on the shoulder that started his laughter up once more.

"First off, just because I said cute doesn't mean I find him attractive. I find puppies and babies and all sorts of things cute."

"Kitties included."

"But that doesn't mean I'm attracted to him. Second, I see myself more on the canine end of the spectrum instead of the feline side. You know, since I have a guard dog and my Grandfather just brought back a bunch more of his kind this morning." Tiana argued as he remembered that she might know something more than he or Ladybug about the thief.

She was from Italy, after all. A lot of the reports about the Rogue Wolf, as well as a lot of the tales of the newer General Wolf, were originally from Italy.

That will be a question for later. As he was about to once again refer to her as Chat Noir's kitten, he was interrupted by Mr. Roux finally arriving to begin practice.

"Don't overwork yourself, Lover Boy." Tiana teased as they stood up from the bench they had been sharing.

He smirked right back at her. "I won't, try to keep your thoughts off of your favorite superhero, Kitten." Adrien replied, chuckling quietly as Tiana groaned at his new nickname for her.

As practice began, he noticed that Nathaniel stuck around and was still watching the class. More specifically, he watched Tiana as his hand flew over a page of his notebook.

Adrien had to wonder if he'd drawn anything pertaining to Tiana yet, he had after all done a lot of Marinette back when he was first Akumatized.

Adrien sidestepped his opponent, poking him in the side with his foil. They bowed to one another before walking away from one another. It was more interesting when he dueled Tiana, with her it was actually challenging.

It felt like over the years he was progressing much faster than his team mates, so he didn't really have much of a challenge when they'd work together. But Tiana was right up on his level, if not maybe a little better than him.

Before long, practice was coming to an end as well. Changing quickly, he walked back out to find Tiana waving goodbye to her Grandfather as he walked away. Usually she went home with him...

Nathaniel came down the steps from where he had been watching on the balcony, clutching his notebook close to his chest as Adrien stopped in his walk over to the two.

"So, ready to tell me who this girl is? Or is it Marinette?" Tiana asked Nathaniel as he walked over to him.

Ducking behind a bench to make sure he wasn't interrupting them, he heard Plagg mutter something once again from his hiding spot in his shirt. Here we go again...

"Can I just show you something first?" Nathaniel asked, Adrien looking around the bench to spy him handing over the notebook to Tiana.

"I've seen your portraits of Marinette already." Tiana replied, Adrien wondering if they were newer ones or the ones he did years ago.

"Flip to the newer pages." Nathaniel's voice wavered with nervousness.

Tiana did as asked, remaining silent for a minute before speaking in a voice quieter than he was used to. "These are of me..." Tiana said as he watched Nathaniel take the notebook back from her carefully.

"Yeah..." Nathaniel tucked the book under his arm as he noticed Tiana's ridged posture.

"So you're trying to say..." Tiana trailed off at that point.

"You're the one I've started having feelings for." Nathaniel revealed, voice clear and unwavering this time. Time seemed to freeze at that point as both of them waited for Tiana's response to the revelation.

* * *

 **Ooh, cliff hanger! I know I absolutely despise them, but it had to be done this time.**

 **The truth is out now, Nathaniel's formed a crush on Tiana. His friend, who we'll find out how she feels about it next time. How will she react, will she be happy? Will she be scared? Angry, excited, confused? I dunno, because I only just finished this chapter and haven't started on the next yet!**

 **Poor Adrien though, still can't have the one he loves but doesn't even notice that there's in fact a girl right in front of him that does love him. At least he has a friend like Tiana to try to lift his spirts, as well as exchange banter and witty nicknames with. At least he's not totally alone.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, everyone! I cannot believe we have over 4000 reads on this story, and we're only on chapter 21! You're all amazing! I can never thank you enough! I'm gonna go start on the next chapter though, so I'll see you next time!**


	22. Confused

An unnerving silence permeated the air, putting not only the two standing a bit away from him on edge but Adrien himself. Silence was never a good sign.

Tiana was still ridged in her posture, but with a look at Nathaniel past her it would seem that she must visually show her surprise at his revelation. He looked nervous, scared even for her response.

"I'm...I'm not telling you this because I've been called out on it, or even because I'm hoping to have a relationship with you." Nathaniel explained as he clung tighter to the notebook tucked under his arm.

"I-I need to get home." Adrien's jaw nearly dropped at Tiana's swift attempt of escaping from the situation. He knew she probably didn't feel the same way that Nathaniel did, but the least she could do is hear him out. Not just blow him off and run away!

"Wait!" Nathaniel caught her by the upper arm before she could escape. "I don't want this to ruin our friendship. You're one of the only real friends I have, Tiana. I just...couldn't keep lying to you or hiding it from you." Nathaniel plead his case so honestly he could feel his own heart thud painfully against his rib cage.

He knew how hard it was to tell a girl you like her and have her reject you. It's going to chew you up and spit you out and repeat if you still feel that way even after having your heart trampled.

"Nathaniel, this is a lot to process right now. This won't ruin our friendship, I promise. But please, just let me have some time to process what you've just told me. I thought it was Marinette you still cared about, not me of all people." Tiana remarked with a shake of her head. Why would she refer to herself like that, like Marinette was the much better option to herself?

"I...I do still like her. That's why this is all just... so confusing. I don't know what to think or feel but I also know that I can't just ignore it and hope it goes away." Nathaniel admitted as Adrien looked away from the two and pressed his back to the bench he was hidden behind.

"Nat-"

"I know it's not fair to come to you with this when it's not just you I'm having these feelings for, but I felt like you weren't going to talk to me anymore if I didn't tell you what's been bothering me. I'm sorry." Nathaniel's apology was laced with pain in the unusual passion he hadn't heard before in the red head.

Was that how he sounded, when he talked about Ladybug with Nino or Tiana and didn't really pay much mind to his words? Did he sound that pained to talk about the woman his heart beats faster for? It hurt, so so much it did, just knowing he couldn't have her. But here was Nathaniel in that situation but confused over who he cared more about as well.

Turning back to look at the two, he watched as Nathaniel reluctantly let go of Tiana's arm. "I'm sorry Nat, I really just need time to process this all." Tiana said as Nathaniel clutched his notebook tighter to his side.

"If that's what you need, alright." Nathaniel said with a nod of his head. Without another word, Tiana hurried away from him and out the door.

The mixed emotions between them were so powerful he worried if Hawk Moth might be paying attention to what had just happened.

Before he could stand up to go try to talk to Nathaniel, the boy turned and walked back further into the school. Maybe if he was fast enough he'd catch up to Tiana first.

Standing up, he hurried after Tiana. As he exited through the doors, he saw her standing at the bottom of the steps as she shoved her phone into her bag. Coming down the steps, she glanced at him for a brief moment before back at the street.

"You were listening to that, don't bother telling me you weren't." Tiana spoke first, surprising him as he thought he was pretty well hidden during their talk. "Did you know?" Tiana asked, voice eerily calm as he stepped beside her.

"Know?" Adrien repeated the question she had given to him, unsure what she was asking exactly.

"Did you know that it was me he started having feelings for, instead of just assuming it was Marinette because of the past?" Tiana questioned him, turning her blue eyes to him to show the mixed emotions that she was feeling but trying her hardest to keep under wraps.

Adrien's shoulders sagged, nodding his head in response to her question. Her eyes immediately snapped away from him and to the street in front of them.

"I had a feeling you knew and just weren't telling me." Tiana remarked as he tried his best to read if she was upset with him, or just about the situation at hand.

"It wasn't my place to say. I didn't know for sure, we just kind of-"

"We?" Tiana cut him off with a snap of her eyes to him once more.

Well, she definitely wasn't happy with him. That one was obvious.

"Marinette and I had noticed that something was up between you both. We suspected he might have feelings for you because of the day when he was almost Akumatized because Chloe called him out on liking you." Adrien explained carefully, trying not to drag Marinette into the mess that was Tiana and Nathaniel's current friendship.

Tiana just stared him down for a minute before a sleek black car pulled up in front of them, honking impatiently. "I really can't deal with this right now." Tiana said with a wave of her hands out in front of her.

"It wasn't like we were certain. I mean we are now but-"

The car in front of them honked once again, interrupting him as he glared at who he suspected was probably Beau.

"I'm repeating the same thing I said to Nathaniel, I need time to process this. Bye, Adrien." Tiana said before walking up to the car before he could say anything else and getting in. Beau hardly waited a second for her to close the door before driving off.

Adrien just watched until the car was gone, sighing as he looked up at the cloudy sky above him. Why must everything be so difficult at times?

"What are you doing?" Adrien turned his gaze back down from the sky to see Nathaniel standing behind him with a confused gaze cast on him.

"Just thinking. I just talked to Tiana, are you alright?" Adrien asked, and almost immediately Nathaniel's gaze found his shoes more interesting.

"She told you?" Nathaniel asked quietly as he turned to face the shyer boy fully.

"I might have walked out of the locker rooms in the middle of it and heard. Sorry." Adrien partially admitted to the truth. He couldn't just say he was actually sitting behind a bench eavesdropping on them, that would only serve to make things worse.

Nathaniel suddenly looked irritated though instead of downhearted about Tiana just running away from his confession. "It's really not anyone's business but our own." Nathaniel grumbled before turning away from him and beginning to walk away.

Adrien sighed before following after him. "If it helps, I'm in the same boat as you. I know how much it sucks, it really does." Adrien said as he followed behind him.

Nathaniel whirled around to face him with an angry look now. "What do you know? You can have any girl you want, you have the attention of half of the girls in our school. What would you know about not having the one girl who makes you feel like you're not as alone as you feel?" Nathaniel asked him angrily, but even in his anger he could see the confusion and heartbreak in his eyes.

"Just because a lot of girls are attracted to me doesn't mean I'm attracted to them. I have loved the same girl for three years, but she still won't give me even the slightest chance. I do know how much it sucks, Nathaniel. Having to look at her almost every day and know I'm not the one who can make her day better hurts, but wanting to be with her on those dark lonely nights and knowing she'd rather be with someone else is what really makes it the worse." Adrien explained as he tried to hold his own pain at bay.

Nathaniel's ridged posture softened, glaring one last time at him weakly before casting his gaze on the notebook under his arm. "If you're trying to help me feel better, you're really bad at it." Nathaniel muttered, sighing as he hadn't meant to reveal that much about how heart shattering it was to not have his lady.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't meant to make you feel sorry for me or feel worse yourself. What I was trying to do was show you that you're not as alone as you think. You know, even when I'm feeling alone, I know I have friends I can talk to and rely on." Adrien revealed, keeping Tiana's name out of it as this would probably not help with the situation.

"Tiana being one of them." Nathaniel remarked instead, Adrien casting a tight lipped smile at him.

"She has a lot on her plate, I try to keep her out of my drama. Don't give up though, she just needs a chance to process everything. I'm sure once she's thought it over she'll talk with you more about it." Adrien assured, as while her approach to this situation was harsh he knew she hadn't meant it to be that way. She was one of the nicest girls he's ever met, especially to friends.

All she needed was a chance to think on everything and she'd undoubtedly talk about it in full with him when ready.

"It's all just...confusing. It's just a mess right now, because she knows I still like Marinette even knowing she still likes..." Nathaniel cut short with a scared look in his eye, looking at him curiously as to what he was about to say and why he reacted that way.

"What were you about to say? Marinette likes who?" Adrien asked, genuinely curious as while he and Marinette talked quiet frequently now, he hadn't heard anything from her about a guy she had a crush on.

Either he was afraid to say, or genuinely didn't care enough to tell him right then, Nathaniel changed the subject. "I just don't want to lose her. It's all just one big mess, but that's the one thing I'm certain of is that I don't want this to come between our friendship." Nathaniel murmured as he looked away from him.

"You won't lose her. This is Tiana we're talking about. We might not have known her for very long, but it's pretty obvious she's fiercely loyal to her friends. Just give her time." Adrien offered and earned a nod of the head from Nathaniel in response.

"I hope she's not in such a mess as I am." Nathaniel muttered as he turned away, presumably to go home.

Adrien bit his tongue to prevent himself from telling the red head that Tiana was also very much confused and just a mixture of emotions.

"I need to get home. Thanks... for trying to help me feel better about all this." Nathaniel thanked him quietly. Adrien flashed him a sympathetic smile before he turned and walked away.

Once Nathaniel was out of sight, he turned to go find somewhere secluded.

"Where are we going? I wanted to go home so I could eat my buffet of Camembert." Plagg whined as he walked quickly down the street, looking for a deserted ally or anything.

"That's going to have to wait Plagg. I need to make sure Tiana's okay, and I can't do it as Adrien because she's mad at me." Adrien reminded as he ducked down an alleyway.

"Aww, do we have to?!" Plagg wailed, slapping his little paws over his cheeks as he hovered in front of his face.

Not dignifying him with a response to the whining, Adrien took one last look around to make sure he wouldn't be spotted. "Plagg, Claws Out!"

Plagg wailed one last time before he was sucked into his ring.

Just as his transformation finished and he took a second to make sure no one had seen him, a crack of thunder above him nearly scared him out of his skin.

To add insult to injury of a not so good day, it started raining before he even reached the rooftops. When it rains, it pours.

Please don't start pouring until he gets somewhere indoors...

Chat dashed over the rooftops quickly, making sure he didn't accidentally slip along the way. It hardly took him ten minutes before the large estate was in sight, skidding to a halt once he landed on the rooftop across from the balcony he last saw her seated upon.

This time, she wasn't on the balcony. But the double doors were open, curtains that should be on the other side billowing in the gentle breeze that came with the rain.

He couldn't see anything past the damp curtains, so he extended his staff and vaulted over the wall and onto the balcony, nearly slipping and falling on his back as his feet touched the balcony.

Taking a brief moment to gather his composure, his cat ears twitched as he heard the faint melodies of classical music. Was she practicing?

Walking over to the open double doors, his clawed fingers grazed the damp curtains, pulling them aside. His eyes widened as he was greeted with a room rivaling his own in size, a large sectional sofa seated a few feet away from the doors he stood in.

Looking around, he realized this must be Tiana's bedroom. A large king size bed complete with privacy curtains sat against the wall across the room from the doors. Looking around, however, he didn't spot Tiana.

His ears twitched as he heard movement to the right of the room, looking over in time to see a white door just as it opened.

In retrospect, he hadn't technically broken his gentleman code and invited himself in without her approval. But standing in the doorway in full sight of the room without knowing if she was within, that probably wasn't the brightest idea either.

Chat's heart nearly leaped out of his chest as Tiana walked out in no more than a fluffy white towel wrapped around her body, ruffling her hair with another towel. Reacting without much thought, he took a step back to try to preserve her some privacy.

But he wasn't a black cat for nothing.

His boot slipped on the tiled floor of the balcony, yelping out as he slipped backwards and landed with a loud smack against the floor.

Well, it was pouring now...

Chat sat back up with an annoyed grunt, looking up at the curtain just in time to see Tiana part it. He froze just as she did, before smacking a hand over his eyes to give her some decency.

" _Ma belle_ , I'm so sorry!" Chat apologized quickly, reserving himself to sitting out in the rain for the moment as he heard Tiana dragging open the curtain.

"Well, I don't have to worry about the dangerous men out on the streets. I just have to worry about a peeping tom cat, huh?" Tiana asked as he felt like his day couldn't get any worse.

A chuckle drew him from his misery though before feeling a hand grab him by the wrist and pull him up.

Keeping his other hand over his eyes as he didn't know if he could look yet, Tiana led him out of the rain.

"You can take your hand away. I have a towel on and it's not like you'd be the first to see me under-dressed." Chat suddenly felt his chest bubble with an odd mixture of curiosity and annoyance at that comment.

"I'm a gentleman, I won't look at you in such a state. It's extremely rude." Chat argued, but found himself parting his fingers over his eyes none the less to at least check if she was decent now.

His eyes first found her standing in the doorway of a large closest, dragging his gaze down from the fluffy towel that looked like it barely hang on to her skin to the toned legs she usually kept hidden with jeans.

He could feel his heart racing a little faster as his subconscious tried to warn him against peeking on his friend. This wasn't right, but at the same time he couldn't help his cat like curiosity.

"I think you're a little past gentleman at this point, Chat Noir. I mean, you did just show up out of nowhere in my bedroom." Tiana commented as she plucked a silk robe from within her closet, wrapping it around herself and her towel.

As she walked out to him, the towel dropped to the floor in the closet where she had previously been standing and he felt his breathing hitch.

No, no this wasn't right. This is Tiana, she's his friend. He can't just stare at her and subject her to this kind of treatment.

Snapping his fingers back closed over his eyes, he waited until Tiana pried his hand from his eyes.

"I didn't just show up. A little birdy told me you had a bad day, I wanted to make sure you were alright, _ma belle_." Chat explained away his actions, Tiana dawning a curios look on him before he turned his gaze away from her in her white silk robe. A rush of heat to his face warned him of the red blush he knew was winning him over.

"I'd ask about who this little birdy was, but you're only here to make sure I don't get Akumatized. Don't worry, my will is too strong for that to happen." Tiana assured him as he looked around her room. Set off to the side was the source of the music he had heard before entering, a large piano with a sound deck atop it where her phone was plugged in to while playing the sounds of Tchaikovsky.

Did she pull the same stunt he used to pull and just played music from her phone to cover for the fact that she wasn't actually playing?

"I have many people around Paris to warn me if someone's had a hard day. I just wanted to ensure it wouldn't be you I'd be encountering out in the rain today." Chat explained himself as he walked away from Tiana to see what was playing on her phone.

The next song to begin was a full orchestra of The Sleeping Beauty suite by Tchaikovsky, glancing back at Tiana to spy her plucking her towel from where it dropped.

"I'm fine Chat Noir, you've done your civil duty. Albeit a little perverse in your approach." Tiana commented with a teasing smile set upon him as she dropped the used towel in a hamper in her closet.

"I didn't expect you to be..." Chat waved his hand in her direction. He didn't really trust his words when his mind could still see the tightly wrapped towel around her.

Was it getting hot in here?

Chat stole one last glance at the phone on the piano before walking over to the balcony doors, pulling the curtains back closed to prevent the rain from entering.

"I just returned from Fencing practice, I always have a shower after a workout." Tiana revealed as he contemplated shutting the balcony doors to keep the rain out. "You can leave those open, the smell of rain is soothing, even though the open doors might encourage unexpected guests." Tiana said before he turned away from the doors.

Now sitting on the couch and fully dressed, he wondered how she managed to dress so quickly. He was a model, so he knew about getting dressed quickly for his photo shoots. But he only had his back to her for a minute...

Deciding to let her teasing slide for the moment to make sure she was actually as okay as she claimed to be, he walked over and took a seat beside her on the couch, nearly sinking in to the plush cushions. "Are you sure you're alright? I heard that you had a boy confess to you, sounds romantic." Chat flashed her a small smile, but she didn't seem amused by his comment.

"Oh sure, especially when said boy is one of my closest friends and still has feelings for my other friend. It's so romantic." Tiana clapped her hands together under her chin with faux happiness for half a second before letting the charade fall, turning her eyes away from him and to the rain pouring down out on the balcony.

"Well when you put it that way, it sounds more romantic than anything I've ever heard." Chat joked around in hopes of elevating the mood, but she didn't even give him a glance. Frowning a little, he stretched his arm over the back of the couch, tapping his claws on her shoulder as his arm went around her.

Her gaze once more drifted to him before at the arm he had draped behind her on the couch. "I'm fine, Chat Noir. Honest. I just...wasn't expecting me to be the one he had feelings for. Well, had mixed feelings for since he still likes Mari." Tiana muttered the latter half of her sentence. Deciding to let the comment about Marinette go for the time being, he scooted a little closer to her on the couch.

"Why do you say that like it's such a surprise a boy would have feelings for you?" Chat asked, tilting his head curiously as she held a small pout at his question.

"I didn't mean it that way. It's just..." Tiana trailed off, looking away from him once more.

Chat reached over with his free hand, trailing a claw under her chin to direct her eyes back his way. Once her surprised gaze was back on him, he gave her a gentle smile. " _Ma belle_ , tell me. I'm all ears." Chat assured her with a twitch of his cat ears, smiling innocently when she giggled quietly at him.

"You haven't heard much about my family, obviously." Tiana commented quietly, a sad look overtaking her usually happy blue eyes that made him want to pull her close into his arms and not let go until she was laughing once more. "We don't exactly have the best of luck when it comes to the whole love and relationships department. It just feels...easier I guess, to not focus on any of that and instead focus on friends and work." Tiana reasoned with a shrug of her shoulders, Chat frowning as he wondered if her reluctance to love or be loved was because she didn't feel loved by her mother.

The arm he had stretched across the back of the couch closed in a little on her, resting his claws on her shoulder as she looked at him in confusion. "Don't let your family effect your own relationships, Princess." Chat flinched when Tiana bopped him on the nose for the undesirable nickname. Scrunching his nose up for a second, he chose to let it slide. "There is so much out here for you, someone who really wants to be closer to you if I'm not mistaken." Chat pointed out, Tiana looking down at the couch cushion instead of in the eyes as he spoke.

"He'd really be better off with Mari then me." Tiana muttered to herself, Chat frowning a little more at her blatant dig at herself by assuming Marinette would be the better option. "But unfortunately, it's not him who she's madly fallen for." Tiana commented before her eyes flickered back to his own.

That was the second time today alone he's heard of Marinette having a crush on a guy and he has no idea who it is. If both Nathaniel and Tiana know, why doesn't he?

Mentally kicking himself as this wasn't the priority at the moment, Chat tapped a claw on her nose teasingly. With a laugh at the way she scrunched her nose indignantly at the touch and glared at him, he leaned a little closer into her personal space.

"You never know if it's you he'd choose to love more, you have to at least give him a chance. Don't just shut down the idea because it scares you." Chat said and if it were possible she looked even more indignant at his comment about her being scared.

"I'm not scared." Tiana argued against his words, Chat just smiling gently at her.

"You are, Princess. I know, you're one of the bravest women in Paris, but you're scared of even the idea of someone having feelings for you because you don't want it to end up the way your families relationships have ended. Correct me if I'm wrong." Chat didn't have to know much about her family and how their past has went to know he was right. Tiana was scared of a repeat of either her strained relationship with her mother, or a failed relationship of another family member.

His heart throbbed a little just at the idea that she wouldn't let herself get close to a man because of fear of what would happen should the relationship fail. She's so strong, so brave, but yet she's scared of something so simple.

Then again, the pain he felt in his chest at knowing he loved Ladybug but she didn't love him back was reminder enough of why it could be scary.

"Why do you insist on calling me that." Tiana muttered quietly, trying to change the subject but the emotion he could see in her eyes was enough to let him know his words rang true in her.

"Well it annoys you, so I think it works just fine." Chat hadn't meant to reply with that quip as he didn't want to nod towards his alter ego, but Tiana was too much in her own thoughts to notice.

"Fine, you might have a point. I do plan on talking to him, I just needed a chance to think about it alone so I could figure out what I wanted to say." Tiana explained as she sank a little into the couch, leaning back and inadvertently into his arm that was still around the back of the couch.

"That's fine, you were surprised. Just remember, he's still your friend. Regardless of what happens, you'll still have each others friendship. And I'm sure you have plenty of other friends as well." Chat shrugged his shoulder with a smile still held on her as she looked to him with a small but grateful smile.

"Thank you, Chat Noir. I guess I'll let you momentary lapse of judgment for peeping on me slide since you took the time to come check on me." Tiana teased him once more as she pulled her legs up onto the couch, Chat just then realizing she was wearing shorts.

His eyes trailed down the smooth tanned skin of her thigh before forcing himself to look away, leaning away from the girl beside him. "I wasn't peeping, I'm a gentleman. I didn't know you had just gotten out of the shower, and I'm sorry for interrupting you getting dressed." Chat apologized once more as Tiana laughed openly at his embarrassment.

"You might want to be careful. Imagine how Ladybug would feel if she knew you were looking at other women." Tiana continued to tease him, but his mood soured at the mention of Ladybug caring if he looked at other women.

Ladybug wouldn't care even if he were. She cared more about this other boy than she did him who's been unyielding in his loyalty to her for three years.

"Chat?" Chat hadn't realized he was staring off in his own gloomy world until Tiana's hand poked one of his cat ears, twitching it at her touch before looking her way.

Forcing a smile to mask the twinge of pain and rejection in his chest, he swatted her hand away from his ear. "Don't touch, you can touch these," Chat flexed his arms for emphasis with a cocky grin, "but not the ears. I need these to hear." Chat reminded her, but she didn't seem to fall for his attempt to change the subject.

"You went out of your way to make sure I'm alright, now it's my turn to ask. Everything alright?" Tiana asked with genuine concern, smiling reassuringly at him when he just stared at her for a moment.

Chuckling slightly, he turned away from her. "You're really something else." Chat commented before leaning back into the plush couch, Tiana staring at him in confusion. "I come here to check on you and you're trying to make sure I'm okay now. You have some cookies to pour all your sugar sweetness on?" Chat asked with a grin at her as she rolled her eyes at him.

"It's quid pro quo. You do something for me, I do something for you."

"Sounds very business like. You're too young to be talking that way." Chat grinned wider when Tiana just glared at him weakly.

"I'm just going to assume that it has something to do with Ladybug and you don't want to talk about it at the moment." Tiana remarked as another crack of thunder shook the room around them.

Fighting off a frown, he bobbed his head in agreement to her words before looking out onto the balcony at the downpour. "Thank you... It's just easier to not think about it right now. Talking about it would just make it worse." Chat sighed as he felt the couch shift beside him.

Looking back to the woman that allowed him into her room, his eyes widened as arms suddenly wrapped around his neck. His vision was blocked for a moment before he realized Tiana was hugging him, chest exploding in a familiar yet unfamiliar warmth.

Without hesitating, he dragged his clawed hands around her waist and returned her hug, burying his face against her shoulder. His nose was assaulted with the smell of citrus and what he could only describe as a sea breeze. A smell he hadn't been met with in a long time.

Her arms were warm around his neck as she hugged him, almost as comforting as just being able to talk to her. But it seemed too soon she pulled away, leaving him wanting more as she pulled back from him.

"What was that for?" Chat asked quietly, blinking to try to get her scent out of his nose. Faintly he was aware that his heart was beating slightly faster, but he could only wonder what the sudden bout of affection was for.

"A thank you, for checking to make sure I'm alright. Also because my Grandfather loves to tell me that hugs are natures medicine and can make even the greatest pain fall away to nothingness." Tiana shrugged at the latter statement, his mouth falling open a little at the wise words that left her lips.

Yeah, he's gotten hugs as Adrien from her before, but this one just seemed so much more...intimate? Was that the right way to describe it? Or was it more caring, because she cared enough to try to help him when he was supposed to be helping her.

A beep from his hand broke his train of thought, cursing Plagg mentally. " _Hey, just because you want to keep staring at her legs doesn't mean we have time to!_ " Chat blinked as he swore he heard Plaggs voice.

"Is that the warning that you need to get going?" Tiana asked, tilting her head curiously at him as he sighed and stood from the comfy couch.

"Sadly, yes. It's been wonderful checking up on you, _ma belle_. Maybe check in with your other friends while I'm gone, so you don't feel too alone." Chat offered with a small teasing smile, but subconsciously hoped she'd text him as Adrien once he was gone.

"I won't get lonely just because you're gone, Knight in Kitty Armor. But I'll think about it. Thanks again." Tiana sent him one last smile as she walked him to the door. He bowed to her before heading back out into the storm, feeling much better than when he had arrived.

* * *

 **I'm gonna begin this foot note today with one great big THANK YOU ALL! Already, we've almost reached 4500 reads on this story. I never imagined that only 22 chapters in we'd have so many people reading this story already. Sadly, we haven't gotten as many reviews as I was hoping for, but I hope that doesn't mean you guys aren't enjoying it as much anymore.**

 **Speaking of the kitty cat, isn't he just a sweetheart. Goes out of his way to try to make sure both his friends would be alright considering the absolute mess that is their friendship at the moment. By the way, I'm sorry but we have to wait until next chapter to find out the discussion between Nat and Tiana. It didn't feel right to go into it before pointing out why Tiana is the way she is.**

 **Also, ooh it looks like Adrien might be getting a little suspicious/curious of this crush that Marinette has that he's never heard of. Poor Nathaniel though, still likes Marinette but knows she likes Adrien.**

 **Before I forget, again, I have a quick question for you all though. I know I've been writing this in third person POV but keeping it directed to one character solely per sections, but I wanted to know if you guys prefer it that POV or if you'd rather it be in first person? I always like checking to see what you all prefer before I get too far down the line of the stories, so be sure to let me know how you feel about it!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading and sticking around until this point! This adventure is far from over, so I hope you all stick around! I'm gonna go continue writing the next chapter though, so I'll see you all next time!**


	23. Test It Out

Tiana could actually feel her fingers twitching with her nerves, unsure what to feel about when Nathaniel would arrive. As it were, he was already running late.

She could only wonder if it was because he was nervous too about seeing her after yesterday.

After Chat Noir had left yesterday, she spent plenty of time thinking it all over. When he handed her his notebook to look at, she was surprised to find that some of the pictures were of her. But not only that, but how detailed they were.

How long had this been going on and she had been otherwise preoccupied with other things to notice? One of the pictures he drew had shown he noticed the way her nose scrunched up a little when she laughed, which was something that as far as she knew only two other people had been aware of.

Well, if she didn't count her old partner Mighty Lion. That show off did not hesitate to let her know when he knew something about her that she thought he'd never find.

Glancing down the rows to her friends happily talking as they waited for class to begin, she caught Adrien's eye for a brief moment. He smiled back reassuringly before returning to his talk with Marinette.

As it were, she still felt a little guilty with him as well because of yesterday. She hadn't given him much room to talk before she left with Beau, but she tried making it up after the peeping tom left by texting him.

He told her it was fine, that she was confused and he understood that she just needed a chance to breathe. But it still didn't make the ebb of guilt go away at knowing she just blew him off when he was only trying to help.

Tiana felt Verro shift against her ribs where he was hiding, glad he was done growling and fussing finally as that lasted far too long yesterday after Chat Noir left. She got more of an earful from him about letting the person that was supposed to be her foe into her room than she did from him about how she treated Nathaniel.

The boy in question finally arrived, rushing in just before Miss. Bustier and looking winded. He took a second to catch his breath before ascending the steps, freezing for half a second when he saw her sitting at their table.

With a heated red to his face he stepped around their seats and took his own, dropping his drawing notebook on the table as he kept his eyes anywhere but on her.

Once attendance was taken, Nathaniel kept his eyes on his notes and didn't say a single word. Was he mad at her for leaving yesterday? She needed the chance to think about her next move, she was caught off guard!

Stealing a glance at him as she wrote in her notebook, she noticed his rigid form and how he would look ready to look her way but stop himself seconds before he could.

Frowning, she reached down for her bag and pulled out a piece of loose leaf paper, ripping it into segments before scribbling down something on one of the pieces.

" _I'm sorry. If you're ready to, I'm ready to talk about yesterday_ "

Tiana folded the paper before sliding it over to Nathaniel, almost laughing at the confused expression he dawned before he briefly looked at her.

Watching him sneakily as she continued taking notes to make sure their teacher didn't get suspicious, she noticed how his fingers fumbled nervously with the paper as he opened it. Was he really that nervous when it was just her?

Tiana looked away from him fully to give him a chance to read and reply to her note if he wanted to. She only had to wait a minute before the note, refolded, was slid into her hand that was resting on the table.

Plucking the note up, she unfolded it while noticing Nathaniel wasn't even paying attention to if she read it or not. " _We don't need to if you don't want to. We can just forget it happened._ " Tiana's eyes narrowed at the hastily scribbled words.

Forget it happened? When has that ever worked for any situation that ever tried to do just that? Was he not ready to talk about it, or was he upset about her reaction yesterday?

Tiana glanced at him once again to see him no longer doing his work and instead once again drawing in his notebook, barely noticing the feminine figure he was sketching out on the page.

Frowning, Tiana balled the note up and dropped it in her bag. She had a better idea on how to show him she was willing to talk.

Once lunch break rolled around, she snatched Adrien's wrist before he could head off with Marinette. Casting her an apologetic smile for stealing him for the moment, she pulled him aside.

"I need your help with something." Tiana explained as she let go of his wrist, Adrien looking back at her in confusion.

"Is it to do with you and Nathaniel?" Adrien asked, both of them looking back to see Nathaniel still sitting at their table and drawing.

"Yes, please just try to coerce him to go to the music room in about five minutes." Tiana asked quietly, cutting him off as he went to open his mouth to ask why. "Just please, I'll explain later." Tiana said before walking off to go wait in hope that he'd actually show.

When Tiana arrived at the room, she was glad that the teacher was gone for lunch as well. Moving to the grand piano that was used for their rare scales practices, her fingertips grazed the ivory keys.

Pressing her fingers down upon the keys, any nerves that she may have had were soothed by the melodic sounds of the piano in front of her.

If he was so willing to show his passion through his art, maybe he'd realize she was sorry by showing her own with her music. She couldn't draw for the life of her, but she could most certainly express herself through whatever instrument was given to her. Maybe one of the pieces of work that made her think of him would help?

Now all she had was to wait and hope.

Pressing her fingers to the keys, the piano responded in tune to her as the room felt like it was lifting with the music. If only things were this simple, just play a song and every nerve and embarrassment just flushed away.

Would he even show? It didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it even though she said she was ready to talk now. Would Adrien even be able to convince him to come to the room?

Tiana's fingers stuttered on the keys for a moment as she reached the bridge, before pressing forward to try to keep the worry at bay that she might have messed up her friendship with her idiotic fears that their friendship would be jeopardized. If it were, it would be her own fault for not talking it out right then and there.

Tiana closed her eyes as the song was coming to an end, letting her fingers continue to move over the keys. He wasn't going to show, was he?

The piano bench creaked beside her, opening her eyes to spy her red headed friend with a look of awe at both her and the piano she was playing. Continuing on to the finish, she noticed the way he clutched his notebook to his side tightly as she played.

When the sounds of the piano finally faded away she looked to him fully then, catching his eye as he looked her way as well. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel." Tiana apologized once more with a tight lipped smile.

Nathaniel frowned for a moment, making her believe he wasn't wanting to talk about it, before finally speaking to her. "I surprised you with it, you have no reason to be sorry." Nathaniel countered her apology as he fiddled with the notebook tucked to his side.

"I shouldn't have left though. I should have stayed and talked with you about it instead of leaving." Tiana pointed out since while she did need a chance to absorb the truth of what he had said to her, it still didn't make it right to leave like that.

"You needed a chance to process everything." Nathaniel repeated the same thing she had said to him yesterday, but his eyes didn't meet her own this time as he looked down at his notebook.

"That's not an excuse. I was just being a coward." Tiana admitted, unafraid to admit to her fear this time as she had already been called on it by the man that was supposed to be her foe.

"How does that make you a coward?" Nathaniel asked with an incredulous look on her now instead of looking at his notebook.

"Because I thought that it would effect our friendship. I got scared because I look at my family and how almost every relationship they have had has ended and I worry that that will end up being me. That even someone feeling that way about me will ruin the friendship that we had." Tiana explained, looking away when Nathaniel's incredulous eyes turned sympathetic.

Why did everyone always have to give her that look?

"You thought I'd let how I'm feeling right now affect our friendship?" Nathaniel asked quietly, shrugging slightly in response to his question. "I'd never do that!" Nathaniel's sudden exclamation startled him, unused to him raising his voice.

Tiana looked to him once more in time to see him rifling through his notebook, finding the page he wanted and presenting it in front of her. It was a portrait of her leaning on Adrien... Wait was this from practice yesterday?

Her head was resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her side like it had been yesterday when she tried to comfort him for being rejected by the girl he loved. "I want to be as close to you as he is, but I still need a chance to figure out what exactly it is I'm feeling. I know I'm...attracted to you. But I'm not sure about it fully because of how I feel about Marinette." Nathaniel explained with a shy blush at the mention of his feelings for her.

Tiana just stared at him for a moment, letting his words sink in. She wasn't sure how to feel about all this, but she was certain she didn't want to lose her friendship with him when he was one of the first friends she made when arriving at this school. "So, you need time in other words to work out everything and figure out how you're really feeling?" Tiana asked as Nathaniel closed the notebook once again.

"I guess?" Nathaniel shrugged his shoulders with his questionable response. "I don't know, I've never had this happen before. I've liked Marinette for over three years now, but I know that it's never going to happen." Nathaniel looked away from her as she saw the sadness flicker in his turquoise eyes.

"You never know." Tiana replied to his comment about Marinette. "You never know if it will work out in her favor, or if she'll suddenly change her mind and decide she likes the artsy boy more than the model." Tiana felt very deja vu with her words, green cats eyes flickering in her mind before she shook her head to rid her mind of his gaze. "If you think that what you feel is real, don't shut the idea down just because you think the other person doesn't care. At least tell her how you feel." Tiana explained as Nathaniel smiled gently at her.

"Well I already told you." Nathaniel reminded, chuckling and drawing one out of her as well. They just sat there for a second as the quiet laughter died away to remind them that they still needed to talk more about this.

"You think what you feel for either one of us is real?" Tiana asked carefully, unsure if she really wanted to know this answer because while she has had plenty of admirers over the years, it never went past that. She had never wanted it to go past that, she had just always wanted things to stay the way they were.

Nathaniel was quiet for a moment, Tiana looking to him in time for his own eyes to look her way. "I don't know, I really don't. I'm sorry..." Nathaniel apologized once again so she sent him a gentle smile.

"That's fine, that's why you test it out. I think if you spend more time with both of us, which means you have to actually TALK to Marinette," Tiana emphasized her words by staring him down with a teasing smile, "then you'll know how you're really feeling. It doesn't really help much to just ignore the person and hope it goes away." Tiana reminded without specifically pointing out that this was what he tried to do to her.

Nathaniel sighed at her words though, so she leaned over until her shoulder bumped with his own. "I will try, but it's not that easy when he's around her a lot and she's just fawning all over him." Nathaniel said as she noticed him loosen up a little just at the press of her shoulder to his own.

Tiana almost pointed out that the chance of something taking place between the two was very slim due to Adrien's prior relationship with his mystery girl, but she kept it to herself. It wasn't her place to tell of his interest in another girl than Marinette.

"Just be you. You're able to talk to me just fine, and I'm no better than she is. We're both girls on your radar." Tiana pointed out as she really was no better than her friend.

Nathaniel stared back at her for a moment, almost like he wanted to say something, before turning away again with a shy blush. "Do you... does this change us?" Nathaniel asked quietly, but the break in his sentence spoke more than he did.

Was he just about to ask her if she returned his attraction? Possible. But she'd let him ask it in his own time instead of making him finish that question.

"No, it doesn't change us. We're still friends, maybe a little better at communicating now." Tiana smiled reassuringly at him before an idea struck her. "In fact, to make up for my insensitivity yesterday, after class we could go to that little cafe we went to the one day that Alya invited herself, Nino and Adrien along to as well." Tiana offered, giggling as Nathaniel turned a little redder as stared back at her.

"Are you asking this to hang out or to-"

"You'll never know if it's real if you don't test it." Tiana reminded as they stood from the piano bench, noticing a thoughtful look come over her friend before determination overcame it.

"Then instead of the cafe, let's go see a movie." Nathaniel offered, Tiana mildly surprised by his sudden confidence to ask her to go to the cinema.

"Alright." Tiana agreed with a nod of her head, Nathaniel smiling back before hiding his giddy grin behind his notebook. Laughing at his adorableness, she followed as he went to walk out of the music room.

As they were walking back to their class though, she was suddenly grabbed by the wrist and dragged away with a yelp. When she was finally done being dragged, she realized it had been Alya. She should have known, no one else does this.

"Marinette asked Adrien to the movies after class!" Alya revealed with a giddy laugh, Tiana laughing along with her as it was about time. She had offered the idea to him the other day, but she didn't think she'd follow through so soon.

"Can I assume he said yes?" Tiana asked as Alya tapped away at her phone quickly.

"We'll find out when they get back from lunch. They went to Mari's parents bakery again today." Alya revealed before laughing once again. "I'm so proud of her, it's about time!" Alya nearly shouted as Tiana continued laughing right along with her.

Wait... Does that mean he knows then how she feels? Or was this just a movie with a friend? She wasn't sure if even Alya knew about the mystery girl that Lover Boy told her about.

"I hope she finally tells him if she didn't before asking him to the movies." Alya commented once her laughter had subsided enough, leaning on Tiana's shoulder as she tried to catch her breath.

"Think of it then, you and her can go on double dates with the boys." Tiana offered, Alya gasping at the idea before suddenly grinning deviously at her.

"Don't you mean triple date, we heard about you and Nathaniel." Tiana tilted her head in confusion to how she knew that Nathaniel had revealed his feelings to her. "I might have pestered Adrien enough about where you ran off to after class for him to tell me you were going to have a talk with him." Alya said with an innocent shrug, Tiana shaking her head at her curiosity.

"Might have, huh?" Tiana repeated her before checking her phone for the time. "Well, for your curiosity, he and I are going to see a movie after class today as well." Tiana was suddenly snatched into Alyas arms this time, Alya squealing loudly as she spun her around excitedly.

Through the squealing she could hear her saying something about being proud of her and double dates. Catching a movie didn't exactly mean dating, did it?

Alya let go of her finally as the warning bell rang, checking her phone once again quickly. "Mari should be back now, let's go get the details!" Alya said excitedly before rushing off to find their friend, Tiana following along behind her at a slower pace.

Getting back to the classroom, they had walked in barely a minute before Marinette and Adrien came back as well, Marinette with a giddy smile that she was trying to hide each time Adrien looked her way. As she sat down beside Alya, they squealed quietly for a moment before being silenced by Mendeleiev walking into the room.

"What's going on?" Nathaniel asked with a nod towards the two girls two rows down from them.

Tiana considered for a moment not telling him the truth to try to spare his feelings. But ultimately, she knew that if she didn't tell he'd find out on his own. "Mari asked Adrien to go see a movie after class." Tiana revealed, frowning when Nathaniel's face fell with disappointment at the news.

Nathaniel sighed before continuing to write the notes Mendeleiev was giving. "It's fine, I'm surprised Adrien agreed to it considering the other girl." Nathaniel whispered, Tiana raising an eyebrow at him as she didn't know he knew. Very few knew as far as she was aware.

"How did you know about her?" Tiana asked as she made sure Mendeleiev wasn't watching them like she usually did. Why the teacher had such a disdain for Nathaniel, she'll never understand.

"He told me yesterday after you left." Nathaniel revealed, Tiana glancing down to the row that Adrien was sitting in with Nino. He actually went ahead and tried talking to Nathaniel for her like he offered last week even after she ran off like she did?

Tiana looked away as Adrien pulled his head out of the textbook, looking back at her own notes.

Add that to another reason to feel guilty for how she acted towards him yesterday when he was only trying to help.

Before long, class was coming to an end once more. Tiana was in the process of shoving her books in her bag and slipping Verro a meatball where he was hiding in one of the pouches when Chloe whining caught her attention.

Looking down to the front row where she was standing beside Adrien, she had a heated red stain to her cheeks as she glared behind him at Marinette who was still sitting down. "Seriously? You're turning down going to dinner with me for a movie with her?" Chloe pointed a perfectly manicured nail at Marinette with a hateful glare.

"She asked me first, Chlo. We made plans to go see a movie last week." Adrien defended Marinette as Tiana looked to Nathaniel beside her, who was also curious of where this was going to end. Chloe not getting what she wanted was always going to end badly.

"So? See I told you, she's already asked you out and you're just going to forget about me for her!" Chloe wailed before turning on her heel and stalking off to the door. She stopped suddenly in the doorway though and spun back around. "The least she could do is be honest to you about why she wants to go to the movies, isn't that right Mari-trash?" Chloe snapped before whirling back around and leaving. Sabrina skittered right on along after her seconds later.

Tiana bit back the urge to defend Marinette against Chloe's bullying. Adrien already was defending her, and she really didn't want to deal with her today. She had other things to do.

"So, are we still on?" Nathaniel asked quietly as Tiana watched Adrien talk quietly to Marinette, likely trying to reassure her against Chloe's bullying.

"Yeah, of course. We just need to slip away before Beau catches me." Tiana revealed with a smirk, Nathaniel blinking back at her in confusion before they started down the steps.

"Have fun you two." Alya jabbed her in the ribs as she walked past her, casting a weak glare her way before Nathaniel hurried past her and out.

"Where are they off to?" Tiana heard someone say as she walked out the door after Nathaniel, going to her locker to drop off her books and such before they head out.

As they walked out the front doors, she was happy that Beau was rarely on time to pick her up when he wasn't taking her somewhere that her Mother requested. Now he'll learn how rude it is to make someone wait.

"We can choose a movie as we walk." Nathaniel offered as he pulled out his phone while they walked, pulling up the cinema's website.

"I haven't been to this cinema yet. It looks nicer than just watching from the home theater." Tiana mused as she looked at Nathaniel's screen, shushing him when he went to ask her about her home life like he always tries. "I've gone out to see movies before, it's just been a long while." Tiana advised, unsure how long it's actually been.

Nathaniel looked between her and his phone screen for a moment before handing her the device. "You can pick if you'd like." Nathaniel offered, this time silencing her when she went to argue with him. "It's your first time going to this cinema, its your choice." Nathaniel said as they stopped at a crosswalk.

Tiana just stared at him for a moment as he watched the sign, unsure if he was being so nice because they were friends or because of his still unclear affection for her. Smiling softly at his kindness, she followed him when the light changed and he started walking again.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the cinema, Tiana winning the argument this time about paying for the tickets as it was her idea to come out together today. Grabbing snacks and drinks, they made it to their seats before Nathaniel finally relented on having wanted to pay for the tickets.

"I let you pay for the snacks, be happy." Tiana mused, sticking her tongue out at him as she reclined her seat. Nathaniel just shook his head in a goodhearted nature back at her as he leaned back as well. "This place is fancy." Tiana mused as she noticed Nathaniel fidget a little in his seat.

"It's also...the first time I'm seeing a movie with a girl who I've got..." Nathaniel trailed off shyly as Tiana felt her heart clench a little at his genuine kindness and adorableness. Nathaniel's shyness faded quickly as his gaze went down the rows. Following his gaze, she spied a familiar blond boy and giddily nervous raven haired girl.

"Well, I guess we all had the same idea." Tiana mused, watching how Adrien let Marinette choose where they sat. At least they weren't all sitting together, she felt like that wouldn't help Nathaniel very much.

When Nathaniel just kept quiet and semi gloomy, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. He tensed a little beneath her before relaxing at last.

The lights dimmed and the movie began. Tiana reached for the popcorn bucket only to freeze as her fingers brushed Nat's, looking to him out of the corner of her eye to see him in a similar predicament to her. Their eyes caught for a moment before she pulled her hand away, giggling quietly as Nathaniel gave one of his own.

Looking back at the screen, her eyes wandered instead to the row a few down from their own where she noticed Marinette in a similar predicament. She didn't need to be close to see the tension in her.

Was that how she and Nathaniel looked around each other right now? Is it even possible that she could feel the same way about him that he's feeling for her when she's never even considered it until now?

Looking back at Nathaniel beside her as he was engrossed in the movie, she smiled at his happiness. Maybe she didn't feel the same yet because of fear, but maybe if she continued helping him explore and decipher how he's feeling she'll find something for him.

She'll never know unless she gives it a chance. And so far, this chance she was giving wasn't so bad.

Tiana leaned against him again as she let herself just enjoy the movie, smiling a little wider when he leaned closer to her as well.

* * *

Marinette tried her hardest to quell her racing heart, but it was all in vain. Even the slightest brush of Adrien's arm against her own on the arm rest set her racing and made it a little harder to breath. Why was she being like this?

They've gotten lunch together alone now a few times and it wasn't like this then. Was it like this now because she knew, well hoped, that this wasn't just lunch or in this case a movie with a friend but a possible date?

Taking a deep breath to try to steady her nerves, she glanced at Adrien briefly in time to see him sitting stiffly himself for a second before relaxing as he continued watching the movie.

Was he nervous too?

A few more minutes passed as they watched the movie. When a jump scare happened, she nearly flew out of her seat. She didn't realize there would be jump scares!

A hand brushed against her wrist, glancing over to see Adrien smiling at her. "You're alright, it's just a movie." Adrien whispered to her and she felt like she could get lost in those kind vibrant green eyes of his.

When another happened moments later, she leaned a little closer to Adrien while nearly squeezing the life out of the arm he had near her own, looking up to him again to see him just as surprised as she felt that she jumped closer to him.

Why is it such simple things can scare her? She could hear laughter a few rows back from them, so it was like she was the only one caught off guard by it.

"Are you alright?" Adrien asked, sounding genuinely concerned for her as she loosened her grip that had been on his arm.

"Sorry." Marinette apologized with a sheepish smile, looking him in the eye again to see a conflicted flicker in his gaze before he scooted over closer to her.

"Just hide your face against my arm if it gets too scary for you." Adrien offered and Marinette felt like her heart couldn't race faster then at the sheepish yet kind smile he gave her with his offer.

This time, come the next jump scare, she didn't feel even a little startled as she leaned in to Adrien. He was warmer now, and Marinette couldn't resist sighing quietly as it felt like her dreams were at last coming true.

More laughter behind them didn't make her feel like she was just skittish this time. She just wanted to enjoy this possible date with Adrien.

"Mari..." When the movie was coming to an end, she looked to Adrien as he whispered her name. A conflicted look was once again in his eyes that made her worry a little. Was something wrong?

"Yes?" Marinette answered back as she pulled away from him.

"It's a stupid, but can I ask you a question?" Adrien asked as the credits began to roll, the lights coming back up.

A question? What question? Was he going to ask her out first?!

"S-sure." Marinette agreed as other people began filing out slowly around them.

Adrien went to open his mouth and ask when his eyes drifted away from her with a confused look now. Following his gaze, her eyes widened as she saw Tiana and Nathaniel walking down the steps. Where they here this entire time?

Alya had said they were going to the cinema, but she hadn't said what they were going to see. Watching the way Tiana was walking so close to Nathaniel made her frown a little. Were they on a date when last she thought he still had feelings for her as well?

At least, that was the rumor she was speculating because of the pictures. Was she wrong?

"Was this supposed to be a date?" Marinette's thoughts immediately snapped back to Adrien as those words hit her hard. Had he really just asked her that, or was she imagining things?

"W-what?" Marinette asked, glad her voice didn't squeak this time.

"It looks like everyone else that came to see this is a couple, was this meant to be a date for us?" Adrien asked as she stood up from her seat, Adrien following and standing up as well.

Marinette felt as though her mouth had been stuffed with cotton, unsure how to answer his question. If she said yes, he would know without her explicitly telling him that she had feelings for him. If she said no, she'd be lying and she didn't want to lie to him!

Adrien looked at her expectantly before at the people still filing out around them. "Let's finish this outside." Adrien offered, taking her wrist in his warm but gentle hand and leading her towards the exit.

Once they were outside of the cinema though, she noticed Nathaniel with Tiana again. Before she could try to escape to them for help though, Adrien let go of her wrist and looked to her expectantly once again.

Why couldn't they have all just come to see this together, she wasn't sure she was ready for this yet. Her heart was beating too quickly right now.

"Was this supposed to be a date?" Adrien asked the question once more, hands poised on his hips as she looked up at him. There was no escaping this...

"M-maybe?" Marinette answered questionably, turning away with fear of what Adrien would say next.

Would he be happy, would he be mad that she wasn't honest? Excited, annoyed? She was more scared of this moment than the jump scares of the movie!

* * *

 **I'm just the worst, ain't I? That's the second cliffhanger in the last few chapters! I couldn't help it though, I had to torment her a little bit. Isn't that the way it goes, to get what we want we gotta take a little pain with the good. No in all honesty, I had to rush the ending here because I have somewhere I need to go when I usually update this, which is why it's early today!**

 **Also the chapter may be early or late Wednesday because I'm supposed to be babysitting and I won't have my computer with me, so if it is I apologize! Forgive me! This week in general will be a mess because then Friday is my birthday, so I don't know if I'm even going to update that day.**

 **Back to the chapter, Tiana finally talked with Nathaniel! But not only that, they went on a sort of testing the waters movie date/outing. I have no idea what to call it there really... But certainly you have to call what Marinette and Adrien's encounter was a date, eh? I mean, she didn't exactly say "Hey wanna go out on a date to see a film?" but all the cowering in his arms kinda shows what she really wanted it to be.**

 **Before I end this foot note, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! We hit 100 hearts on this story last night on the QuoteV version and I was so happy to see that! I decided back when we had reached about 95 on all three sites together that I'd give you all a gift, so I got a surprise for you! To thank you all so much for sticking with me, I'm going to upload a little one-shot of the pair, but I'm giving you all the chance to give me ideas! Please, feel free to leave your ideas and I'll choose from the list on one to write!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, I'll never be able to tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you! I will see you next chapter!**


	24. Hope

"Marinette?"

Marinette took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It was out there, there was no going back now.

"Maybe isn't that clear of an answer. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm just assuming, but I had to ask." Adrien said as he stuffed his hands in his jean pockets while still looking down at her.

Sighing through her nose, she decided to just be honest. "No, I just wanted for us to come see a movie together. But..." Marinette trailed off as Adrien's eyes softened while he listened to her.

"But?" Adrien repeated her last word.

"I wouldn't...mind if it were. A date." Marinette revealed before looking away from him once again, aware her face was likely painted an embarrassed red.

Over near the street she spotted Tiana and Nathaniel again, smiling a little when she saw Tiana hip bump Nathaniel. It's nice to see her happy, to know she's at least giving Nathaniel a chance if they were in fact on a date. They both deserved to be happy.

"Mari, you remember the day we all played Truth or Dare?" Adrien asked which made her stomach drop a little upon remembering it. His questionable answer about if he had a crush on any of the girls in their class made her want to cry, but she couldn't at the time because she was at Tiana's and not her own home.

"Yes." Marinette replied back to him, turning to look at him again to see a pained look in his eye. Why did he look so hurt?

"There's this girl I've liked for...a while now. I haven't told many people. She rejected me, again, so I'm really sorry but it wouldn't feel right to say this was a date. I'd feel like I'm not being fair to you." Adrien explained as Marinette felt like her heart was shattering with each passing second.

That day he hadn't said anything about another girl, just that he wasn't too sure about any of the girls in their class. Now she kind of wished she had just said no, this wasn't a date. This was much worse.

"I'm sorry, am I right to assume that I'm the one you have a crush on though?" Adrien asked and she looked at him in horror for how he knew. He hasn't known for three years. "I've heard rumors, but never a name. I was waiting to see if you'd tell me..." Adrien trailed off while nervously scratching the back of his neck.

Marinette felt ready to cry. Not only had he told her that he liked some other girl, but he knew now how she felt. She just wanted to go home and curl up with Tikki, try to forget the pain that was making a home in her chest now.

But when she went to turn away from him, his hand caught hers. "I'm sorry, I really didn't know. Please Mari, don't leave like this." Adrien gestured to her still being halfway turned to leave.

"Was it really that obvious?" Marinette asked bitterly, looking away from him again.

"No, not really. I mean I didn't know at least." Adrien said as she drifted her gaze towards her other two friends that she wished had saved her from this. At least before she had hope that one day she and Adrien would be together.

Now... Now all she could think of was this other girl that he loved more than her but that was so stupid, so absolutely insane, as to reject his feelings.

"Mari, it's not fair of me to consider this a date. It's not fair to you. I'm really flattered, honestly." Adrien was rubbing his neck shyly when she looked back at him, wondering if even a small part of him was attracted to her like he was to this mystery girl. "Maybe we can come back to this later? Right now I just need time to...get over the rejection." Marinette nearly burst into tears just from how broken his voice sounded about being rejected.

Wait did he say come back to this?

"Come back to this, what do you mean?" Marinette asked as Adrien looked away, rubbing a hand over his face quickly.

"You're really sweet, really kind Mari. I really enjoy spending time with you. Right now my hearts not in it, but I'd be willing to try this again later on down the road if you still want to. I don't want to lead you on or anything, but it wouldn't be fair of me not to at least give you a chance once I've had a chance to clear my head." Adrien explained as he placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

His green eyes shined with a mixture of sadness she was not used to and the kindness she was used to. Fighting back the watering of her own eyes, she could only nod her head in agreement to his words.

"I'm sorry if you feel like I haven't been honest with you." Marinette apologized after taking a moment to fight off the desire to cry.

"It's alright, all of this is just confusing." Adrien admitted before looking away from her. "Least those two are making progress." Tiana turned in the direction Adrien nodded his head towards to see Tiana chasing Nathaniel down the street while they laughed loudly.

Marinette smiled slightly at the scene. She might not have gotten her dream fulfilled today, but at least they're happy. At least there might be a chance if Adrien decides to take her up on that offer once he's figured out how to feel about this horrible girl.

At least that spark of hope wasn't as gone as it had been before.

* * *

Chat skipped a rock off the Seine, sighing through his nose as he reached for another one to skip. He just wanted to do this for a while, be alone to think.

When today started, he hadn't expected it to go the way it did. He hadn't expected to find out that one of the friends he holds dearest in fact has a crush on him!

Snapping another rock off the Seine, he buried his face in his gloved hands.

How had he not seen it? She was always blushing and stuttering around him, she wasn't talking to him for a little bit after the Truth or Dare game. Tiana had said it was girl problems, that should have been the biggest clue right there.

How blind was he really?

Wait, did that mean that Tiana knew? How many people knew while he didn't? Hell, Chloe knew even since she tried to tell him that one of them had a crush on him, he just wouldn't listen because he thought it was her just not liking Marinette like she's been doing for years.

Now he had to apologize to Chloe to top his already overworking mind.

It wasn't like Marinette having a crush on him was a bad thing, he was flattered like he told her. But the thing about when girls had a crush on him as Adrien was that he never knew if they had a crush on the real him, or the side that they saw of him due to modeling and being the good son that his Father wanted.

This was Marinette though, she's known him for three years. Wait, how long has she felt this way? Forget that for the moment...

Mari knows him better than all the fans do, in fact she's helped him hide from them before even. So that must mean she likes the real him, right?

Right?

Chat picked up another rock and threw it onto the river, the resounding splash doing little to calm him.

Why now? Why did he have to find out now when he just got his heart broken, again, by Ladybug? He didn't want to hurt her by telling her about the woman he loves, but he knows that's exactly what he did.

Adding that to the ever growing pile of guilt he's had for not realizing his friend had feelings for him.

He didn't want to lead her on, he didn't want to hurt her. He treasures her, treasures the friendship they share as he really admired her and enjoyed spending time with her. But now she might not want to talk to him for a while because he's done the same thing to her that Ladybug did to him.

There was that voice though in the back of his mind telling him this was a good thing too though. That maybe he could get over Ladybug at last because he'll have Marinette. But he'd first have to figure out if he's even attracted to her, because he's not even considered it over the years because of how far down the rabbit hole he had fallen for Ladybug.

Yes, he liked Marinette. He enjoyed their shared company and wouldn't want to lose that. He liked being a shoulder for her to lean on even though he didn't lean back. But did he have deeper feelings for her, like she had for him?

Any time he thought of love his mind would flicker those confident blue bell eyes into view and he would be putty. But she didn't love him back, she loved this boy she won't tell him about.

So was it time to try to move on? Maybe...

Chat buried his face in his hands again as he tried to decipher what he should do.

His head shot up when he felt something skitter across his back, turning sharply to see the golden eyes he hadn't seen since Friday. "Well you look like a lost little alley cat right here, now don't you?" Rogue Wolf cooed with a charming smile worn on her lips.

Chat frowned at her, unable to keep the pleasantries up today. He really wasn't in the mood for it, he just wanted solitude to think.

"Go away, Rogue Wolf." Chat replied curtly to her as he turned back around to face the river.

"Oh don't be that way. Did you find my ring?" Rogue asked and plopped herself down beside him on the dock he sat upon.

Chat pulled his legs up from swinging over the water, about to stand up to go home. At least there he knows she can't follow him.

"Really, you're just going to get up and walk away?" Rogue continued as he stood up beside her, ready to leave now.

"Yes, I'm not in the mood for you tonight. Go home." Chat said simply before beginning to walk away. How was he supposed to sort through all his feelings about his current situation with her on his tail and demanding his attention?

"Well aren't you just a rude little kitten. I try to make sure you're not moping about your lady and you just give me the cold shoulder? Very well, next time I won't try to help you then since you don't want it." Chat suddenly felt irritation itching at his skin with how she could be offended by him when she was the reason why Ladybug and he had a fight to begin with.

"You're the reason why she's upset with me in the first place." Chat hissed as he kept his back to her. "Her trust in me has wavered because of you, it's because of you that she once again made clear she doesn't love me the way I love her." Chat growled as he turned to face the wolf thief.

"Hey, it's not my fault she doesn't love you!" Rogue barked back at him with an indignant frown on her lips, paws perched on her hips.

"No, but at least before I had hope that we were getting somewhere and that eventually I'd be able to call her mine. Now, now that hopes just a dwindling flame that wouldn't have had to be burning out if she hadn't gotten so mad at me for supposedly being friendly with you." Chat pointed a clawed finger her way.

"Oh please, she just hates me so much because she's jealous that I've had so many interactions with you. You really need to look at the bigger picture, kitty cat. Instead of letting your little friend do the thinking for you, think about the other reasons she might have for not wanting me around you." Chat curled his tail around his waist out of reflex as she pointed to him with the little friend comment.

"She hates you so much because you're a thief, a villain-"

"Neutral."

Chat growled low in his throat at her unwillingness to take him seriously. Turning around, he decided he didn't want to do this anymore. He just wanted to go home and cool off and think more about his love dilemma.

"Go find Ladybug and bother her, I'm done playing your little games to manipulate us into fighting among ourselves." Chat snarled before beginning to walk away again.

"You really think that's what I'm up to?" Rogue questioned instead of just letting him leave. "Yes, I won't deny it's fun irritating her to no ends because of her pride about being the heroine of Paris. But I wouldn't intentionally pit you two against one another with the mindset to pull you apart." Rogue began walking beside him as he walked away, so he pulled out his staff to vault away from her.

"Why should I believe you? You have caused so much trouble already." Chat reminded with a side ways glance at the conniving wolf beside him.

"Because I've already done enough to try to help you out. If I were really a villain, wouldn't you think I'd just let you writhe in misery?" Rogue questioned with a curious tilt of her head as he stopped walking.

"A villain could choose to commit small acts of good to advance their bad plans." Chat reminded as he folded his arms over his chest.

"You know, I understand that you're hurt because of what she's done to you. But taking it out on me doesn't exactly make you a good person right now either." Rogue remarked cheekily, Chat growling low in his throat at her once again.

"Well you're not a good person either, so it makes things even I'd say." Chat retorted as Rogue just stared at him for a moment.

"I won't deny, I can be a bad wolf. But a majority of my misdeeds are done in the name of good. You know, since I donated the money I got from those jewels to the less fortunate instead of keeping it all for myself. Maybe instead of seeing what's on the surface you should take a look beneath, Chat Noir." Rogue lectured him before turning to walk away.

Was...was she seriously just leaving when she was the one bothering him this entire time and not allowing him to leave?!

"Where are you going?" Chat snapped after her, earning a turn of her body towards him with an amused gleam in her golden eyes.

"Well I'm not about to stay around you. You're not exactly in the right mind set at the moment to treat me fairly, so I'm going to go find that ring before you can. My clients will be more than happy to have it returned to them at last." Rogue said before mockingly saluting him and taking off.

 _Merde_ , he can't let her try to retrieve that ring. That ring was probably the only chance he'd have of getting Ladybug to forgive him for Friday.

Chat ran after the wolf, diving down a manhole right after she jumped down into it. Grimacing, he reached down for his pocket and grabbed the vapo rub he used last time, swiping it under his nose as he wondered how the wolf could handle this.

When she disappeared around a corner, he sped around it only for a hand to reach out and snatch him by the tail. Snapping his elbow back, he caught Rogue in the stomach before swiping out with his foot.

Catching her foot, he went to throw her down only for her to grab him by the nape of his neck and yank him right down with her.

As they fell, he grabbed her by her own tail since she still had a hold on his own. Trying to throw her into the horrendous water as she had let him fall in the other night, his back was instead forced onto the slippery concrete with a grunt.

Rogue laughed above him before he yanked on her tail. With a yelp replacing her laugh, he traded places with her and pinned her down to the ground.

A laugh resounded in his chest as he glared down at her pinned beneath him, ready to grab her and return her kindness of an unwanted filth bath when she reared up and snapped her teeth inches from his nose. "Seriously?!" Chat leaned back just in time to avoid being bitten.

"What do you expect will happen when you corner a wolf?" Rogue replied with an amused smile up at him.

"You're not a real wolf." Chat deadpanned her, getting a sassy pout of her lips back that made him have the desire inside him to bite now. What's with the animalistic behavior now?

"I'm real enough. Haven't you ever noticed, our Kwami's bring out our animal sides more than just doing dress up." Rogue quipped before trying to shove him off again, to no avail.

Chat grinned triumphantly down at her before grabbing her by the fur lining of her neck, pulling her to her feet and restraining her arms behind her. "You let me fall in the other night." Chat reminded as he pushed her towards the sewage.

"Your lady let me fall in first. Fair is fair." Rogue replied before he yelped as her tail slid up his inner thigh, loosening his grip on her for half a second.

Unfortunately, half a second was all she needed.

Rogue broke her wrists free from his hands before taking off running down the tunnels once again. Groaning, he took off after her once again.

When she went to jump up a ladder, he grabbed her by the tail again and pinned her to the wall. "You're not getting away that easy." Chat reminded as he made sure to pin her tail down this time.

"Ooh you learn, kitten. I'm so proud." Rogue mused as he felt her squirm against him, looking over her shoulder at him with a teasing smile that showed her white teeth. If she hadn't had those damned goggles on her eyes, he feels like her eyes too would gleam with her deviousness.

"You can't use the same tricks twice on me, wolfie." Chat replied before noticing the way her smile grew. "What are you planning?" Chat questioned carefully, only for Rogue to bounce her shoulders in a shrug.

"I'm not planning anything. But you know, for someone who wanted me to leave, you certainly won't let me go now." Rogue cooed, Chat frowning as he realized she was right. Letting go of her like she was fire, he stepped away from her.

"Just go home already." Chat said while folding his arms over his chest, walking a few steps away from her.

"Oh you're just a bore." Rogue blew raspberries at him. Turning to face her again for the teasing, she had her back to the wall now as she watched him with an almost predatory look. "I got you to forget for a little bit about your problems, so fine. I'll go." Rogue grabbed onto the ladder that she tried to escape up on before and ascended, whistling the way up until she was back on the surface.

Did he really just fall for this again? Did she really just trick him in to chasing her down again to make him forget for a bit about Ladybug?

Chat grabbed onto the ladder and climbed up after her quickly. Just as he got out, the manhole cover was kicked back over the hole with a loud clank.

Turning around, Rogue was standing there and began whistling again as she started walking away from him again.

"Did you really start all of that to distract me?" Chat called after her, not moving from where he stood beside the manhole.

" _Sì_ , why else would I tolerate that filth for so long?" Rogue replied as she spun to face him, but continued walking backwards in the direction she had been going.

Why, why did this wolf keep doing these confusing things? One minute, she's the devil. The next, she's good?

"Why?" Chat questioned, following after her as she continued walking backwards away from him.

"I dunno, maybe because you're no fun when you're a pouting little kitten." Rogue shrugged at him before turning away from him once more. "When you're ready to treat me like a person instead of a bad dog, I'll be around kitty cat. _Bon Nuit_." Chat frowned as guilt began to ebb at him now for her as well.

Why does she have to add to the pile?

"Wait." Chat called after her when she dropped to all four to run off. She hesitated and turned to him with a curious look in her golden eyes. When did she move the goggles away?

"What? Are you going to offer to retrieve my ring for me so I don't have to go diving for it?" Rogue asked with a smile, ignoring his disgusted grunt at the idea of looking in the sewage again.

He really wanted to find it for Ladybug, but he didn't want to contract every disease flowing in those waters just to do it.

"I'm...sorry. Alright?" Chat apologized begrudgingly, Rogue perking up at his words as she trotted his way and stood upright once close to him.

"What was that? I couldn't hear it over the reluctance to say it." Rogue cooed, folding her hands under her chin as she looked up at him.

Sighing through his nose as he knew she wouldn't settle for a weak apology, he folded his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry, Rogue Wolf." Chat apologized clearly this time, rolling his eyes when Rogue laughed at him.

"Your apology is accepted, kitty cat. Just remember, next time I might not forgive you so easily and might just let you suffer alone." Rogue said through her laughter, just deciding to put up with it for the moment as she did distract him for a little while.

"Are you done? Can I go home now?" Chat asked once Rogue's laughter subsided. Even though he was grateful for the distraction, he still just wanted to go home and think about the fact that he loved a woman who didn't love him and his friend was now suffering the same because of him.

"Go home to think about the woman that hurt you?" Rogue asked, Chat about to growl at her before realizing she wasn't teasing him. Her eyes that usually held nothing but charm and deviousness were soft, sympathetic.

His irritation for her fell just as fast as his shoulder did. Was she really so bad if she's willing to help him out when he's down?

Rogue pursed her lips before turning away from him. "If you want to go home, go ahead. If not, chase after me once again, kitten. I can't just walk around the streets after what happened at the Louvre." Rogue reminded before two zip lines shot from her belt.

With a whoosh, she was off and flying into the sky.

Was he really about to do this? There were better options, safer options.

But then again, he couldn't exactly go to his friends about this. There was Tiana, but she knew about how Marinette felt and didn't tell him.

Oh what kind of hypocrite was he, he knew how Nathaniel felt and didn't tell her because he wasn't fully certain.

After another minute of contemplating his choices, he pulled his staff from his lower back and vaulted after the thieving wolf.

The race through Paris went on for about ten minutes before concluding atop the Eiffel Tower, his boots touching down on the metal just as Rogue stretched out on her back on the platform.

"Come, sit. Enjoy the view." Rogue offered with a pat on the ground beside her, not giving him a glance more as she moved her goggles away from her eyes.

Chat walked over, sighing as he sat down beside her and propped his arms on his knees. Looking out over Paris lit up all around them, he was reminded of Ladybug again.

Pulling out his staff again, he checked to see if she was active. He felt his ears flatten against his head when he noticed she was not out tonight.

"I'll take that." His staff was suddenly snatched from his hand.

"Hey-"

Chat turned to Rogue only for her to pin his staff back on his lower back, looking at her in amazement for the fact she didn't try to keep it from him.

"If you're going to get over the pain she's given you, you can't be waiting for her to show up. You need to just let it go and focus on you for now, not her." Rogue said as she laid back down, looking up at the sky above.

It's getting so hard to tell if she's really as bad as Ladybug and the rest of Paris perceive her to be.

"Thank you... for distracting me tonight." Chat thanked her after a moment of silence, just trying to let his mind calm down for the first time since he went to that movie with Marinette and started wondering if it was supposed to be a date.

"You'd have done the same." Rogue said back, Chat immediately thinking of Tiana beside him on her plush couch. How he went out of his way and transformed and everything just to make sure she was alright. How even after all that, she still asked him if he was alright before he left.

"Be honest with me." Chat said as he stared out at the city, deep down wishing he'd see the blur of red that was Ladybug swinging through the city. "Why do you really keep going out of your way to help me when we're supposed to be enemies?" Chat asked as he turned to the neutral wolf.

Rogue stared back at him for a moment before sitting up. "You know, I might do some things that neither of you agree with. But we can all agree that I won't purposefully attack or hinder either of you in your work. I have my rules." Rogue said with a bounce of her shoulders in a shrug.

"Why me then? I'm not the only one here." Chat reminded, fingers flexing out of reflex to want to check his staff for his lady.

Rogue chuckled at him this time. "Because you don't want to put me in handcuffs every time you see me. I will admit, she's a kinky one that lady of yours." Rogue joked, Chat surprised with himself when a laugh actually bubbled up out of his chest at her joke about his lady.

It felt nice to laugh sincerely like this after the day he's had. After all the confusion and worrying. Even though there was still lingering guilt in his chest as he laughed... His laughter cut short when he felt pressure on his arm, looking to his side to see Rogue closer than she had been a minute ago. Close enough for her arm to press against his own.

This was the second time she's leaned against him. Just like last time, he felt a little more relaxed at the comfort of someone close to him. He knew it technically was wrong to feel so relaxed around her, but at the same time it just felt so right.

Chat leaned a little closer to her, her warmth alone relaxing him enough to reveal just how tired he really felt. How emotionally and physically drained he felt from all the thinking he's had to do today.

"Instead of questioning me anymore on why I do the things I do, why not just roll with it and enjoy that someone is actually trying to help you. It's better than the alternative of tormenting yourself with your thoughts." Rogue said as he leaned back, just wanting to enjoy the moment of relaxation.

She's right, it really is better than thinking about the fact that he's hurt Marinette. Or that Ladybug doesn't love him. He'll probably be up all night about it, but right now he just wanted to enjoy that someone seemingly cared enough to try to help him.

Chat felt his chest begin vibrating as fingers threaded through his hair near one of his cat ear, stopping himself when Rogue began giggling.

"Don't say anything about it." Chat said before she could make a quip about his cat like behavior. He knew Ladybug found it weird whenever he purred, but considering how animalistic Rogue was he felt like she wouldn't let him live it down.

"I wasn't going to say anything. It's perfectly normal for a kitten." Chat sighed as Rogue giggled a little more. "You'll get over the pain that she's given you eventually." Chat looked to her at her sudden honesty over her teasing.

God he really hoped she was right. This was twice now, he didn't know if he could handle another time. And it wasn't so much that she didn't love him either, but that she was losing faith in him. Losing trust in him when he's given her his everything.

"Do you have relationship problems as well, Wolf?" Chat asked without really thinking, just needing something to keep his mind off Ladybug.

When she remained silent, he looked at her to see her looking out at the city. Her claws that had been threading through his hair were now on his shoulder and still. "My problems are in the process of being fixed, but yes. Not exactly like yours but...similar." Rogue shrugged before turning her golden gaze back to him once more.

Chat just stared at her for a moment, letting her words sink in. He knew this was probably going to bite him back someday, but he couldn't help his next words. "If you're up to it, you can tell me about it. Since you're letting me mope around you, it's only fair." Chat said with a tight lipped smile.

Rogue gave him a side smile before patting his shoulder. "I don't think your partner would appreciate you hanging around me, kitty cat." Rogue reminded and for once Chat didn't want to hear about Ladybug and how she thought about him.

"As long as you're not committing any crimes, you're welcome to join my pity party." Chat offered the neutral woman beside him.

"Oh well now I can't promise that." Rogue laughed heartily at him, and for the first time that day his laughter came without an underlining of guilt.

* * *

 **I'm sorry for that picture at the beginning, but I just had to! Even though it's so painful looking at Chat Noir crying like that, it's kind of how he's feeling this chapter. Minus the crying, of course. Well... maybe for Ladybug, but not for his confusion over knowing Marinette has a crush on him. Poor kitty just needs a break.**

 **But what's this, Rogue Wolf is trying to give him a break from his thoughts. In her own cunning way. It's like the saying, to do a lot of good you gotta do a little bad. That explains her actions at times, but right here her annoying Chat a little to get him to forget for a minute about the pain in his heart is that good/bad situation.**

 **Poor Marinette too though. At least Adrien offered that when he's had some time to try to get over the pain he'll give her a chance at a date. Even though he's not quiet sure if he's romantically interested in her. It's still a chance, it's still Hope.**

 **Before I end this, I never got anyone offering topics for the One-shot idea I offered. It's still a thing, I haven't started it yet because I was giving yall a chance to throw some ideas in there. Please feel free to give me some ideas, cause if not I'll probably just go with whatever idea pops in to my mind at the time.**

 **On to the reviews really quick. Gregory, I know Marinette is a very brave girl and jump scares seem like a thing that wouldn't get her easy. The reason behind that was that her nerves were already shot, not that she's particularly weak to them. It's like when you're stressed out and someone just comes out of nowhere and scares you. Even the bravest of us can be caught off guard at times.**

 **Clarisa, it's been a while! I was wondering if you were still reading! Good to see you're still around! I'm glad you enjoyed the Chloe situation, that's the area where I start to wonder how it's fitting out. Writing her as trying to be nice but in her own still kind of not so nice way is definitely different, I don't think I've done a character like her before. So that makes me glad to hear someone's enjoying the way it's going, thank you so much!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, I'm still amazed by how many people are reading and enjoying this so much! Each new chapter the hits gets higher than they did the last time, and I'm just floored. I can never thank you all enough, now I'm gonna go start the next chapter! See you next time!**


	25. Are you alright?

Adrien couldn't help himself from staring, Nino and Nathaniel doing the same on either side of him.

They were supposed to be running laps, but how could they run laps with this going on?

Principal Damocles had introduced a new exercise for today. They were either to do Yoga or run laps, and most of the girls of the school had chosen Yoga.

Including Marinette, Alya and Tiana.

How was this supposed to keep them active? Most of the people who were supposed to be running laps were just staring at the girls as they did Yoga.

"Now, we're going to shift into the Extended Puppy pose, students." The yoga instructor said calmly before demonstrating the position to those on the yoga mats in front of her.

"Is this really only a once a month thing, because I think I want it more than once." Nino whispered to him as all the girls knelt down and bowed down to the floor, arms flat against their mats.

Alya turned around and glared at him suddenly, Nino yelping before taking off running laps again.

Chuckling, he just continued watching with Nathaniel. Particularly, he never knew that Marinette was so flexible. He hasn't actually seen her do any athletic groups or anything since she tried to join Fencing almost three years ago.

"Now raise into the classic Downward Facing Dog." The instructor's soothing voice said before all listening followed her lead.

A collective gasp came from those of them watching from the side lines, being shushed by the instructor who wasn't actually looking to make sure they weren't staring.

When did Marinette get so flexible?

"How much longer is this?" Nathaniel asked from beside him, following his gaze to Tiana who was posed beside Alya.

"Another fifteen minutes." Adrien answered as he watched how relaxed Tiana was while doing as the instructor told. His eyes drifted down to the yoga pants that hugged her legs, looking back to Marinette as he mentally kicked himself.

He hasn't even talked to her since Tuesday and he's staring at her legs again. What's wrong with him? He needs to remember to try to talk to her though, but she might be annoyed with him because of hurting Marinette since she's been whispering with her a lot.

Those were the times when he wished he had Chat's hearing so he could figure out if Mari was going to speak to him again.

"And we'll finish with Upwards Facing Dog, students." The instructor concluded by angling her upper body up in the air.

The girls followed her instructions and Adrien looked to Nathaniel again, this time realizing he wasn't staring just at Tiana but at Marinette too.

Since he hasn't talked to Tiana, he never found out how their talk went. It felt a little weird now knowing that Nathaniel feelings for both Tiana and Marinette when Mari had a crush on him instead.

"So how are you and Tiana?" Adrien asked, Nathaniel looking to him with the faintest blush before starting to walk again.

Following him, he kept pace as they continued their laps. "We're fine. We're...talking about it at least." Nathaniel explained as he glanced to the girls again to see them all beginning to get up from the yoga mats.

"See, things turned out fine. How's she feeling about it?" Adrien asked as they continued running.

"She's giving me time to work out how I'm feeling. It's easier now knowing that she knows and I don't have to hide it anymore." Nathaniel said before Mr. Damocles announced to them that they could stop running. Where was he the entire time no one was running and instead was staring at the girls doing yoga?

"See you next month." The instructor said as she stayed knelt on her mat.

Nino caught back up with him and Nathaniel just in time for Alya to walk over and swat him on the shoulder. "Why?" Nino asked as he covered his snickering behind his hand.

"Want it to be more than once a month? Why's that Nino?" Alya asked as she propped her hands on her hips, glaring down her boyfriend and his best friend.

"Well I could watch you stretching." Nino replied with a sly smile, laughing and running off when Alya began charging at him.

Adrien looked away from the couple in time for his eyes to meet blue, smiling at her as this is the closest she's gotten to him besides being in class since he dropped her off at her house Tuesday. "Did you two have fun staring?" Adrien broke his gaze with Marinette to look at Tiana beside her, not having noticed she was there.

"What are you talking about?" Adrien tried to play dumb, but Tiana just smirked at him before leaning an arm on Marinette's shoulder.

"We could see behind us when we were doing the Downward Dog pose, you know. Which girls were you staring at?" Tiana asked, Nathaniel sputtering beside him as he felt his own face warm with a tell tale embarrassed blush.

"What makes you think we were staring at you girls? Maybe we were just interested in the yoga." Adrien knew it was pointless to try to convince her they weren't staring, but he couldn't help but banter with her.

Both Marinette and Tiana laughed at him this time, unable to hold back a smile as he was just happy he was able to make her laugh after hurting her.

"Okay, if that's the case then you guys can join us next month with yoga." Marinette said through her laughter, Tiana suddenly cutting short her laughter with a devious smile that for some reason felt familiar to him.

"I got a better idea, Marinette. If the boys want to do yoga so bad, we can all do it at my place. Grandfather wouldn't mind having an instructor come do a class for us." Tiana offered, Adrien just staring at her for her blatant desire to torture the three of them by doing yoga with them.

"Ooh, I like that idea." Marinette agreed with her as Adrien wondered if this torture had anything to do with them being upset with him for hurting Marinette.

"Are we going to go get lunch still?" Adrien's eyes locked with Marinette's when Alya interrupted their scheming with her question, smiling softly at her. She only blushed a little and looked away, his shoulders slumping as he wished he could fix what he's done.

He didn't mean to hurt her, he never wanted to hurt her! But shouldn't it have been better that he told her the truth instead of lying and possibly leading her on?

"Yeah, we're coming. You two coming with us?" Marinette asked, instead of looking him in the eye looking to Nathaniel for a confirmation for the both of them.

Suddenly, he wasn't very interested in the idea of going to lunch with all of them.

"I'm just going to hang back, you guys go ahead and have fun." Adrien offered before excusing himself. If he's lucky, Chloe might still be here and want to go get lunch. She's fortunately already forgiven him for not believing her about Marinette having a crush on him.

How long would it take Mari to forgive him then? He missed having her at least treat him as her friend, instead of being so hurt she can't even look at him for more than a few seconds.

* * *

"And now." Chat threw the popcorn in the air, catching it between his teeth with a triumphant laugh before looking to see Rogue had done just the same, grinning triumphantly at him.

"Bet you can't catch more than one." Rogue challenged him, grinning at her before grabbing the bag from between them.

"You're going to lose that bet, wolf." Chat countered with a smirk before launching three pieces of popcorn in the air this time.

He managed to catch two of them, but the third bounced off his nose and fell away to the ground.

Rogue laughed loudly beside him, grabbing three pieces from the bag. "Let me show you how it's done, kitty cat." Rogue teased him before throwing the pieces in the air. Just like him, she caught the first two only for the third to bounce off her nose.

With his cat like reflexes he caught it and threw it into his mouth, smirking at her. "Guess we're equally bad at catching three." Chat teased her right back, sticking his tongue out at her when she blew raspberries at him.

This was the high point of his day so far. Sadly. It wasn't fair that he had to transform just to feel accepted right now.

With Marinette not talking to him unless it was initiated by Tiana, and Tiana not talking to him because she's too busy with Nathaniel, he's starting to feel like he's just a bad kitty on timeout.

Or like he's not wanted around right now, which hurts even more to think about as being around his friends is one of the few things that help him forget about the pain in his chest for Ladybug. That helps him feel like he's a normal teen for once since his life is anything but normal.

"Kitten, you're moping again." Chat looked to his side to see Rogue balling up the empty bag that had held the popcorn, scooting closer to him before throwing the bag somewhere behind them.

"Well I'm sorry, I can't help it at times." Chat hadn't meant to be sassy, but it just came out with his frustration over his life right now.

His frustration melted a little when he felt that familiar pressure on his shoulder, leaning closer to her warmth as well. If someone had told him a month ago that he would be meeting up with Rogue Wolf atop the Eiffel Tower just to hang out and not try to stop her from stealing, he would have laughed at them for the hilarious joke.

But now, this was the third night in a row. He should be looking for that ring, especially considering that bet he had with Tiana over finding it before Friday. Which was tomorrow.

"Want to talk about it?" Rogue asked him quietly, looking to her to see her eyes on his staff that he hadn't realized she had taken from his back again.

"No." Chat answered her honestly, taking his staff back and putting it back on the small of his back.

He really didn't want to, he really just wanted to forget for the moment and enjoy the now.

"Kitten-"

"I really don't want to Rogue. I just want to forget about it for the moment." Chat cut her off before she could try to convince him to tell her. As far as she knew, this was only about Ladybug. He wasn't going to let her know it was about more than Ladybug now.

"Well that's kind of going to be hard to do if she finds us up here." Rogue commented, Chat looking at her in confusion before pulling his staff back out. Opening it, he saw that his lady was in fact active right now, clear on the other side of the city where he should be searching for the ring.

 _Merde_ , she would see that he's active as well if she hadn't noticed already. Which meant she would be heading their way soon, and he couldn't let her catch him with Rogue.

"I should get back to searching then, before she comes this way and sees you." Chat said, stretching backwards where he sat and hearing his joints pop before standing up.

"Aw, you still haven't found my ring?" Rogue teased him as she too stood up. "Well, I can't promise that I won't get it first. Even if you and I keep coming across one another up here, I still have a job to do." Rogue reminded with a smirk, Chat chuckling at her as he wouldn't expect any less.

They weren't friends and they weren't technically enemies, but they still each had their own jobs to stick to.

Chat opened his mouth to speak when Rogue reached forward and patted him on the rib cage, winking at him before running and leaping off the platform. With a howl, she was gone into the night.

Chat stood there for a moment longer to just enjoy feeling like he was a normal guy who was actually wanted around before vaulting from the tower as well, making his way in the direction of Ladybug before she could come find him first.

It took him maybe five minutes to find her, Ladybug sitting on the edge of a roof while fiddling with her Yo-yo. " _Bonsoir_ , my lady." Chat greeted before touching down on the roof, Ladybug looking over to him in surprise.

"Chat? I thought you were fighting the wolf. I saw you were active and heard her howl." Ladybug revealed, Chat silently wishing Rogue would have stayed silent since she knew Ladybug was out tonight.

"I didn't encounter her, but I heard the howl too." Chat revealed before walking over and taking a seat beside her on the edge of the roof. "Are you searching for the ring, bugaboo?" Chat asked as she snapped her yo-yo shut.

"I'm not finding it anywhere. For all we know, it could have already been flushed out of the sewers by now and we'll never find it." Ladybug advised rather negatively, Chat not used to hearing her be negative as she was a beacon of positive energy.

"I'll continue searching, my lady. Don't ruin your nose with the smells of those rivers, I can handle it." Chat assured as he unzipped his pocket to pull out the vapo rub he now remembered to grab every time before going out until the ring was found.

Slipping his fingers into his pocket though, his claw clicked against more than just the tube of vapo rub, furrowing his eyebrows. What was this?

Pulling out the extra object from his pocket, his eyes widened as he opened his hand to spy the gold ring that they had been searching for. How?!

"You found it?" Chat snapped his eyes to the side to see Ladybug looking at him with amazement, eyes changing between his own and his hand that held the elusive ring.

How did that get there, he hadn't seen it since last Friday!

"I...I guess I did." Chat muttered as he held the little ring between his thumb and forefinger, making sure that it was real and he wasn't hallucinating. Ladybug saw it too though...

"How? I thought it was gone." Ladybug said before suddenly grinning and standing up. "You kept it from her sticky paws, Chat!" Ladybug said excitedly as he too stood up.

He was seconds from admitting he didn't know how it even got in his pocket and that he hadn't actually looked for it in almost two days, but Ladybug threw her arms around his neck and ceased all his thoughts.

Ladybug was hugging him? After what she said to him Saturday, she was hugging him?

Chat wrapped his arms around her lower back as she laughed into his shoulder, not wanting to let her go for fear that he'd never get to do this again.

His heart was hammering so rapidly against his rib cage he knew she could probably feel it too, but she didn't pull away. Does this mean she trusts him again, that she doesn't think he's going to betray her for Rogue?

"We need to get this back to Raincomprix." Ladybug pulled away from him all too soon with the news that they needed to return the jewelry to the authorities. "I'm so proud of you, Chat. You put up with going all over the city, even down into the sewers, just to find this." Ladybug said with a grin still gracing her lips. Her bluebell eyes were sparking with pride and happiness for him, unable to help himself from smiling right back.

The pain in his chest felt like it had lifted a little just at knowing she was proud of him and not suspicious of him anymore. Maybe now she'll believe him easier when he says he's hers alone.

* * *

"I still can't believe you."

Tiana ignored Verro as she took a long drink from her tea, stretched out on her couch to enjoy the night breeze coming in from the balcony.

"It's not fun if there isn't a challenge, Verro. I'll just take it back again in a few days, no big deal. This way, Little Red and Chat Noir won't be at each others throats and it'll be more fun." Tiana reminded her grumpy Kwami who was none too pleased that the ring was in their hands once more.

"Yeah? How do you think he's going to react to that just mysteriously showing up in his pocket? You think he won't put two and two together that you had so happened to pat him on the ribs before taking off and it just shows up there later?" Verro asked as he lounged on the couch beside her, finishing off his dinner.

"I think he'll be too otherwise preoccupied with the fact that Ladybug no longer has any distrust in him. He's so madly in love with her that the world fades to nothingness when she is in his sights." Tiana advised before rolling over onto her stomach, letting the night breeze ghost over her skin.

Verro grumbled something beside her before going quiet, Tiana about to sit up and question him on why he's now finally giving up his lecturing when something rapping against the balcony door caught her ear.

Turning her gaze to the curtains, she saw the silhouette of the man they had been talking about through the fabric.

" _Entrez_ , Chat Noir." Tiana answered to the knocking on her door, Chat peeking through for a second before coming in.

"I thought we talked about the open balcony doors, _ma belle_." Chat said as he stood in her room once more, Tiana already knowing that after he leaves the night will be filled with Verro's lecturing about her identity and not associating with the heroes when she's in civilian form.

"It's a nice night, I'm just enjoying the breeze." Tiana replied as she sat up fully on her couch. "What brings you here so late though, you just enjoy sneaking into the bedrooms of girls in the middle of the night?" Tiana asked teasingly, Chat turning a light pink before walking closer to her.

"No, but I was passing by and saw your light still on. I thought I'd let you know that I won our little wager." Chat revealed as he stopped in front of the couch. He looked up to her as if requesting to sit, so she patted the plush cushion to invite him.

"Really? Just a day before it was about to end?" Tiana asked as the kitty cat took a seat beside her, just then realizing how he looked like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Perhaps little red had decided to stop treating him unfairly now that the ring was once more in her possession.

She would enjoy taking it back just for the satisfaction of karma against the bug's unjust treatment of one who was supposed to be her partner.

"I did, which means you have to stop putting yourself in danger." Chat reminded, Tiana rolling her eyes as she pulled her legs up against her on the couch.

"I haven't been going out at night recently, Knight in Kitty Armour. I'm too busy with other things to go exploring." Tiana said while knowing it wasn't entirely true nor was it a lie. She as Tiana wasn't going out, but Rogue Wolf was. She was too busy as Rogue Wolf to go out as Tiana.

Plus, tomorrows reveal from Mother about this years performance has also kept her busy during the day time. As well as Nathaniel and then Marinette who was still heartbroken about Adrien.

She still needed to talk to him, but every time she tried Marinette would snatch her away with Alya or Nathaniel would distract her. She could only hope he didn't think she was siding with Marinette just because she was hurt, she knew that Adrien didn't feel the same about her.

It was just one great big mess that would likely fix itself when Marinette was ready to talk to Adrien. But right now she's both too embarrassed about her crush being revealed and hurt that he doesn't feel the same to do anything about it.

"Ah, have you been kept busy by that boy then?" Chat Noir asked with a sly little smile as he looked down at her.

"Him and my friend who's a little down on her luck right now. She just needs some friends to distract her right now so she doesn't have to think about the fact that the boy she likes doesn't return her feelings." Tiana explained, looking at him curiously when he looked away with a pained expression. Was he thinking about his similar situation with Ladybug?

Chat was silent for a moment, and she felt the familiar desire to lean against him like she's been doing as Rogue. Yeah, she knew getting physically close to him was a bad idea. Be it if she were Rogue or Tiana, it was still a risk.

But she couldn't fight off the tug in her chest from how pained he looked.

"Chat?" Tiana said his name quietly, and he turned his bright green gaze back to her once more. "Are you alright?" Tiana asked with a tilt of her head, watching the way he sank a little deeper into her couch at the question.

"Honestly, not really." Chat answered her and she realized for the first time that night just how tired he looked, both physically and mentally if his eyes had anything to say about it.

When he was around her as Rogue, he could forget about his lady for a while. Why couldn't he do the same with her as Tiana? Was her current friendship dilemmas just a reminder of the problems he has of his own?

After another minute of silence and Chat Noir staring out her open balcony doors, she scooted over closer to him on the couch. "How can I help?" Tiana asked quietly, knowing she's already helped a little just by returning the ring to him. Albeit for a short amount of time.

"Stay out of danger." Chat replied without looking at her, almost like it was an automatic response and he wasn't really paying her any mind. "Also, make sure that friend of yours is alright. I can understand how much she must be hurting right now." Chat muttered the latter half of his sentence, Tiana frowning as it was something to do with his own lack of returned love by his bugaboo.

"She's alright, she'll be fine. She just needs a little time to get over the embarrassment and then she'll be back to her happy self once again." Tiana said as Chat looked at her at last, green eyes burning with an odd mix of emotion. "As for the staying out of danger thing, I'll agree on one condition." Tiana said, Chat staring back at her this time with astonishment.

"I won the wager though, you have to." Chat argued with her, sitting up a little more so he wasn't slouching on her couch as much.

"The condition," Tiana continued without acknowledging his winning of the bet. "You gotta stop letting what happened to you control you. It hurts, I get it. But only as long as you let it hurt you." Tiana said as she looked away from the kitty superhero beside her.

Chat was silent for a moment before she felt cold claws touch her arm, looking down at his claws that skittered over her forearm before he rested his surprisingly warm hand against her. "I'm sorry about your family, _mon cher_." Chat said in an obvious attempt of deflecting the attention off of his own issues.

"That's not what we're talking about, Chat Noir. If either of us understands the best how much it can hurt to want someone to love you that doesn't, its me. You can work through it and learn to let it go and move on. Just don't let it torment you in the mean time to the point that you look physically ill." Tiana explained to the hurting hero, watching as he pulled out his staff and used it as a mirror. Well, at least now he's aware of how tired he really looks.

Is this how Adrien feels about that mystery girl? Is he going through the same thing where he's just tormenting himself almost to the point of being sick? Tiana could only hope he'll talk with her and isn't offended she's been helping Marinette more.

A single beep from the man beside her let her know his ring was beginning to run out of energy. He sighed after looking at it as well. "I'll get back to you on if I can actually do as you ask, _ma belle_. But in the meanwhile, please stay safe." Chat said before standing from her couch.

He hardly made it towards the balcony doors when she jumped up to walk after him. "Hold on." Tiana said as he pulled back the curtains to make his departure.

Fighting back everything in her that told her she shouldn't do this, Tiana leaned up and wrapped her arms around the hero's neck. A laugh almost burst out when not even a second later he slid his own arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Well, at least now she knew that the kitty couldn't resist physical comfort.

"Thank you, Princess." Tiana didn't hesitate to swat him on the shoulder for the nickname, Chat chuckling slightly but not letting her go. She could actually feel the rumbling of his laughter in his chest as it pressed more firmly against her own.

His nose nudged against her neck and she suddenly felt much hotter than she had before, wondering why he was so warm when he was always out in the night.

"This helps, a lot." Chat's warm breath tickled the flesh of her neck and she suddenly wanted to shove him away and be done with the cat for the night. The man in front of her was technically no friend of hers, his partner wanted to put her behind bars.

So why was his close proximity such an allure to her?

With a duo of beeps this time from his hand, he pulled away at last. Bowing to her with a flair, he turned to leave at last.

As he walked out the curtains, she held them back to watch. Climbing up onto the railing of her balcony, he hesitated and looked back at her once more.

His green cat eyes seemed to glow in the dim moonlight as he looked back at her, such a mixture of emotion that she couldn't quiet read him in that moment. With a smile that showed his pearly white teeth, he vaulted off of the railing and away into the night. As silent as a real cat.

Once he was gone, she closed and locked her balcony doors behind her.

"Well that was weird." Tiana nearly smacked the Kwami into a wall, not having expected him to just show up on her shoulder right then. "What was with the whole staring thing before the cat took off?" Verro asked as she walked over to her desk to retrieve her phone.

"I don't know, Verro. He's probably just happy that someone will actually listen to him that isn't in costume." Tiana said before finding the contact for the boy who she couldn't help but worry if he was alright now.

Clicking on his contact that she changed to Lover Boy just to tease him, she looked at the time and decided to just text him instead. " _Are you awake? I thought I'd check on you since we haven't had a chance to talk much in a few days._ " Hitting send, Tiana walked over to her bed.

"Why do you care so much about this? It's just normal teenager problems, it's not like it involves you." Verro reminded as he floated over to the pillow on her bed that she designated for him.

"Verro, we've only ever had one friend before moving here. I know it's still new even after a few months, but friends help each other out even if the problem has nothing to do with them." Tiana advised the little wolf as he yawned.

"Well have fun with that, I'm going to bed." Verro said as he circled around on his pillow for a moment before laying down.

Tiana rolled her eyes at the somewhat insensitive Kwami before feeling her phone vibrate where she placed it on her bed, plucking it up to see that Adrien was in fact still awake.

" _You just decided to check on me at nearly midnight?_ " Tiana frowned at the dimly lit screen, wondering if he was in fact mad at her for not having checked on him when it's been two days since the incident between him and Marinette.

" _Are you mad at me that I haven't asked you if you were alright since what happened between you and Mari?_ " Tiana was always one for just coming right out and asking the tough questions.

It took a few minutes, but finally he replied. " _No, I'm not mad at you, Kitten._ " It was a short response, but she had to hope that since he used that god awful nickname that meant he really wasn't mad.

" _Are you alright, though?_ " Tiana laid back in her pillows as Verro snored quietly from his pillow.

" _Not really._ " Tiana could almost see him as tired as Chat looked with the similar response, guilt settling on her chest for not asking sooner to make sure he wasn't beating himself up for hurting his friend.

" _Can I help in any way?_ " Tiana began to wonder if Adrien had fallen asleep when it took so long for a response to come back. It was around midnight, she's sure he has a rigid sleep schedule being that he's a model.

But his reply finally came after nearly ten minutes. " _Just talk with me. Don't let me feel like I'm losing all my friends just because I hurt one._ " The guilt on her chest increased with that one message, feeling selfish for focusing on Mari and Nat and even Chat Noir when she's out as Rogue Wolf.

Hitting the green button beside his contact, it rang for a few seconds before he picked up. "You're not losing me, Lover Boy. You're stuck with me since you had to start calling me Kitten." Tiana said before he could even say hello.

It was silent for half a second before his soft laughter came back to her, feeling at least a smidgen of her guilt lift since she managed to make him laugh.

* * *

 **And we're back! I'm sorry I didn't post Friday, I did warn that I might not post though due to it having been my birthday. I didn't even have this written halfway at that point since my birthday ended up turning in to a two day celebration. I only really started writing this Saturday, so if there's any errors in the chapter let me know because I probably didn't catch them due to typing so quickly.**

 **Poor Adrien/Chat. I know I'm probably going to get some people thinking Marinette's a bit out of Character this chapter, but I feel like after being called out on how you feel about someone and then told that they don't feel the same this kind of embarrassment would be understandable. But even if he is feeling alone, it's not really true. Tiana's always there for her friends, and Nino and Nat are there too.**

 **Well, so long as they aren't distracted by Marinette. Eh, it's high school. Just typical high school romance drama. Makes me kind of miss it myself just for the entertainment.**

 **Thank you all so much for your patience in letting me have my Birthday off to celebrate. Thanks also for reading as we've reached over 5500 views on this story on here so far. Every single view and reader is appreciated and makes me so happy. Also, on here I haven't gotten a request for the One-short idea yet, but I have on the QuoteV verson gotten one so I'm probably going with that idea at this point.**

 **Thank all of you for reading and leaving comments and every little thing you do, I'm gonna go start on the next chapter. See you next time!**


	26. The Big Reveal

Adrien took a big drink from his thermos, letting the liquid linger in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it. He was never so happy that Father let him skip on his diets every so often.

He really needed the extra sugar he has in his tea right now.

"Share?" Adrien looked up from his thermos as Tiana sat beside him at his desk, holding a thermos of her own. "Mine's ginseng and honey green tea." Tiana revealed, Adrien smiling as she needed the pick me up just like he did.

Well, they were on the phone until about three in the morning. Neither of them got anywhere near enough sleep last night.

"I've got English Breakfast here, but I added a lot of sugar and milk." Adrien revealed, letting Tiana take a sniff of the strong scent that was his own drink. "Want to try some?" Adrien asked, laughing when Tiana shook her head.

"I've got a whole thermos here to finish before lunch. While yours does smell good, I'm partial to green tea." Tiana said before taking a swig of her drink. "Do you want to try mine?" Tiana offered, holding her thermos towards him invitingly.

"I'll try some another day. Like you said, I have this whole thing to finish." Adrien punctuated his sentence by taking a swig of his drink like she did.

Adrien smiled at her when she chuckled quietly before looking to the door when it opened. His smile faltered upon finding the blue eyed gaze of Marinette, who stopped smiling as well upon seeing him.

Her eyes flickered over to Tiana beside him for a moment before back at him. "Hey..." Marinette greeted them, and he was mildly surprised that she kept her eyes on him this time.

"Good morning, Marinette." Adrien greeted her back, looking to his side when Tiana stood up from his desk. Why can't she just sit with him for today? He feels more desired as long as she's close, instead of unaccepted by Marinette and Alya.

"Can we...talk for a minute?" Marinette asked, catching him off guard with how she actually kept her eyes on him instead of looking elsewhere.

"Sure, of course." Adrien said before Marinette slid into the spot beside him that had been previously occupied by Tiana.

"I'm sorry." Marinette said after a moment of just sitting beside him and looking down at the desk. "For how I've been, for not talking to you and just...just being a bad friend in general." Marinette apologized and actually looked him in the eye, showing him the pain he already knew she was feeling.

"It's-"

"It's not alright, Adrien. You know it's not." Marinette cut him short before he could even get more than one word out. She wasn't wrong...

Just knowing how much he hurt her by telling her he didn't have feelings for her and instead loved someone else was bad enough. But basically losing her friendship for those few days and feeling like he wouldn't get it back, that just made it a million times worse.

"I was embarrassed because you figured out how I felt with me not even saying anything. I know that's no excuse for making you feel like we weren't friends anymore, I'm really sorry." Marinette apologized once again. Did Tiana tell her how he felt?

Was it obvious that he was feeling rejected by his friends just as he had been by Ladybug? He didn't tell Tiana not to tell Mari how he felt right now, but he wouldn't think she'd tell Marinette how he was feeling about the situation.

"Did Tiana tell you how I was feeling?" Adrien asked after a moment of collecting his thoughts.

Marinette dawned a confused look in her blue eyes. "No... What do you mean how you were feeling? Did I really make you feel so bad just by not talking to you after you dropped me off Tuesday?" Marinette asked and looked even more hurt now that she knew that he was hurting too.

Before he could say another word, Miss. Bustier walked in right after Nino. Trading out with Nino, Marinette moved back to her seat behind them.

"What's going on, dude? You two cool again?" Nino asked with his usual smile.

Adrien shrugged at him as Miss. Bustier began taking attendance.

Hopefully he could finish talking with Marinette at lunch.

When it came time to move over to the music room, he met up with Tiana and Nathaniel in the hallway. "How did the talk with Mari go?" Tiana asked as they walked to class.

"She apologized, but we'll finish it at lunch hopefully." Adrien revealed as he watched her take a sip from her thermos. "Did you tell her that I felt like I was losing my friends?" Adrien asked, noticing the way Nathaniel looked uncomfortable walking beside them.

"No, it's not my place to say something like that. I'm assuming that she's probably realized it herself with how you didn't go to lunch with us yesterday." Tiana reasoned with a shrug before they walked into the music room.

Taking his seat, Chloe came in seconds later. "Adrikins, do you want to get lunch again today?" Chloe asked almost as soon as she sat down beside him.

"Sorry, I have plans for lunch today, Chlo." Adrien replied as their teacher began passing out music sheets to all of them.

"Oh please, yesterday you asked me to because Mari-trash is treating you horribly. What, now she's changed her mind and is acting like a friend again?" Adrien glared weakly at her, not only for calling his friend that horrible name again but just for her attitude in general.

"Chloe, friends work through their problems together. You work things out with Sabrina when they get bad." Adrien reminded his oldest friend, holding back the knowing smile when she looked away because she knew he was right.

"Well, what kind of friend lies straight to your face? Tells you she wants to go do something when its actually for a whole different reason." Chloe challenged his words with a knowing look in her own blue eyes as she looked back to him.

"She didn't lie to me Chloe, we talked about this." Adrien reminded her as they spent plenty of time yesterday going back and forth about this. He really didn't want to do this again.

"Whether you believe it or not, that's what she did. She should have just been up front about how she feels, like I am." Chloe proceeded to hug onto his arm tightly with a giggle, Adrien having to hold back the urge to sigh and shake his head at her.

When she proceeded to comment about how she's just being a baby because he hurt her, Adrien began tuning Chloe out. She was getting better, at times. But there was still that mean side to her.

Soon, music was coming to an end as well. "Come on, you can talk to her after school. Daddy said we could reserve the lobby of the hotel just for us for lunch." Chloe tried one last time to convince him to go to lunch with her.

"Another day, Chlo. I promise." Adrien promised her only for her to pout and bat her eyelashes at him. Sadly for her, that doesn't work on him anymore. They've grown, so her pouting and puppy dog eyes have lost their charm.

"Fine, but if she lies again or tries to trick you into anything again, she's gonna pay for it." Chloe threatened before strutting out of the room with her head held high.

Adrien sighed at her protectiveness before giggling beside him drew his attention. "So you do have a guard dog." Tiana teased, Nathaniel walking past them and out of the room as well.

"Were you listening to that whole thing?" Adrien asked, holding the door for her to walk out as well.

"Not willfully. She's so loud I'm sure that even the next class over could hear." Tiana mused as they began back to their normal classes.

"She's...trying to be nicer."

"That's nicer? Threatening friends is nicer?"

Adrien rolled his eyes at the Italian girl beside him, chuckling when she laughed at him. "She's still learning. Keep in mind, she did help you and Nathaniel by talking to him." Adrien reminded her as they reached their classroom, hanging outside the door for a moment.

"Yes, I know. It was a miracle that she didn't string him up for the whole school to laugh at how he feels." Tiana replied, holding her hands up in surrender when he just stared her down for not willing to give Chloe a chance. "Hey, she can keep trying. Just not in the way of threatening Mari." Tiana said before Adrien opened the door and held it open for her to walk through again.

Chloe just needed time to show them all that she could change and be nice.

Before long, it was once more lunch time. Turning around to face the two girls in the desk behind his own, Marinette looked up from shoving her things into her bag and turned a light pink as their eyes locked.

"Would you like to go grab lunch together, Mari? So we can finish our talk we started earlier?" Adrien asked, Marinette just staring at him for a moment before nodding her head in agreement.

Now that he knows why she is so shy around him, it's kind of cute. How she just stutters and turns red or runs off.

Standing from his desk, he stumbled for a second as Tiana walked past him and hip bumped him on her way. Giving him a thumbs up, she left for lunch with Nathaniel.

"Well, since you two are grabbing grub together, I'll take this little lady for lunch too." Nino said as he stood up, taking Alyas hand and dragging her away while she just giggled loudly.

Marinette looked between him and their retreating friends before giving him a weak smile.

"Let's go then." Adrien offered with a smile that he was sure looked as weak as her own.

They barely made it to the front door of the school when their path was blocked by Chloe and Sabrina, both of their arms folded over their chests. "You better not mislead him again, Mari...Marinette." Well that's kind of progress, she caught herself in the process of calling her that stupid name.

"Chloe, this isn't any of your business." Marinette replied with just as much sass as Chloe had.

"Uh, yes it is. He's my friend, and you lying to him about why you wanted to "hang out" and then letting him feel like he wasn't your friend anymore just because he hurt your wittle feelings isn't okay. So be careful." Chloe said before turning around and strutting off, Sabrina running right on along after her.

Adrien ran a hand over his face, wishing she could just be a little nicer in her attempts of trying to help. Maybe less sass for one.

"Why can't she just mind her own business." Marinette muttered more to herself than to him before looking his way.

"Any place in particular you want to go for lunch?" Adrien asked instead of acknowledging Chloe butting in to their lunch hour.

"We can go to my parents bakery. They're making everything in bulk today because of the event tonight. They want to try to sell some pastries before Delphine announces what this years performance is." Marinette revealed, Adrien holding out his arm in the direction of her bakery for her to lead the way.

"I'm amazed you haven't begged Tiana to tell you what they're performing this year yet." Adrien mused as they walked down the street side by side.

"I have, but she won't tell me. She said it conflicts with confidentiality and a bunch of other business like talk that I just let it go trying to convince her." Marinette said with a shrug, Adrien laughing as he knew of her business talk.

Like the night he saw her as Chat Noir when she threw the phrase quid pro quo at him and he told her she was far too young to be talking like she was older like that.

They were quiet for a moment as they walked before Adrien cleared his throat. "I'm sorry that Chloe tried getting involved. I went to lunch with her yesterday because it seemed like you really didn't want me to go." Adrien explained as he looked over at the girl beside him.

Marinette immediately looked upset by his words, his stomach dropping and twisting into knots as he didn't want to keep hurting his friend like it appeared he was. "I didn't mean for you to feel that way, Adrien. I just...I didn't know what to say now that you know." Marinette said quietly, darting her usually happy blue eyes away from him.

They arrived at the bakery, and true to her words Marinette's parents were in the back going to work on their preparations for tonight. Marinette just grabbed a few things and they went upstairs to her kitchen to eat.

"Marinette, me knowing shouldn't change anything. I'm still your friend, I still feel horrible for knowing I made you feel the way I feel every day." Adrien said as she took a bite of a crepe, feeling even more lowly when her eyes softened and she looked about ready to cry.

"You never told me. I never knew about this...other girl." Marinette waved a dismissive hand at the mention of the woman that had a hold on his heart even though she didn't want it.

"Not many people do. Just Nino, Tiana and Nathaniel. You too now." Adrien said with a nod of his head towards her. "If you don't mind, that's a talk for another day. I just...I want you to know how sorry I am. It was insensitive of me to call you out on it, I should have just let you tell me on your own." Adrien admitted before taking a bite of his croissant.

If she asked, he wouldn't deny that maybe things would have gone different had there been more time between when Ladybug shattered his heart a little more and when he found out that Mari had feelings for him. He couldn't deny that she was one of the kindest girls he's ever met and that he'd at least give her a chance.

But first he just needed time to get over the pain Ladybug dealt him before he could even begin to think if it were possible to move on to a different lady.

"It's fine, it would have come out anyways. I was just too terrified to tell you myself." Marinette shrugged before leaning her elbow on the table. "Can we just try to work through the awkwardness? Both of us have been hurt enough, I don't want either of us feeling like our friendship is failing." Marinette said with a weak smile.

He returned one of his own, nodding in agreement to her words. He didn't want to lose her either, it's sucked enough these few days feeling like he was. She was still one of his closest friend even now knowing how she felt.

"Of course. I'm going to steal this from our other friend for a moment and say you're stuck with me, Mari." Adrien revealed, laughing along when Marinette laughed openly at his words.

"Well, if I'm stuck with you, then that means you better be coming tonight for the big reveal. Everyone else is going, I just hadn't had a chance to ask you yet if you were going." Marinette said as he finished his food.

"Father is going to be there tonight, I might have to stay close to him. He's the designer for all the costumes this time." Adrien said before instantly Marinette squealed excitedly at the information that must be new to her.

"It HAS to be something big if Delphine is hiring big names like your father!" Marinette squealed as he just smiled at her excitement.

He was never one for getting excited about live performances unless it was music, like Jagged Stone. Well or when Mr. Haprèle had his performance beneath the Eiffel Tower after they freed him from his Akuma.

But it was nice to see Marinette get so excited about something. "Are you and your father going to go see the opening night together? I thought I remembered you saying he took you to her plays when you were younger." Adrien said, wondering if he said something wrong when Marinette's eyes softened and she looked almost teary eyed.

"Yeah, Papa and _Maman_. We'll all be going to opening night." Marinette revealed in a quiet tone, but when she smiled he realized she was just happy.

Adrien smiled back at her, happy for her that she would get to go out with her parents for some fun.

He wished Father would do the same, without Natalie or the bodyguards.

"Will you be going to opening night?" Marinette asked as she stood up and began cleaning up. Standing, he began helping her.

"Probably. But I'll probably be with Father again though, since he's the designer." Adrien said as he wiped down the table for her.

"Well maybe he'll let you meet up with the rest of us tonight. You never know." Marinette said with a shrug, Adrien shrugging right along with her as it wouldn't be unheard of.

He has had a change of heart before, like when he let him go perform with all of his friends for the music festival.

"We should probably start heading back." Adrien advised after looking at the time on his phone. There was also a little kitten emote up at top right corner of his screen that let him know he had a message from Tiana, but he'd look at that later.

"So are we...better now then?" Marinette asked as they headed down the stairs.

With a small smile as he held the door open for her, he nodded his head. "I'll never be able to apologize enough, but I really don't want to lose our friendship Mari. I promise, I'll explain whats going on with me another day if it'll help the situation." Adrien promised her as she waved through the window to her parents before they began back to school.

* * *

Being able to talk to Adrien again lifted a lot of the weight off of her shoulders. She felt bad that she made him feel so horrible these few days, but they'd work through all of that.

It wasn't right of her to just try to stay away from him for a few days. Hiding was never the right way to fix your problems. But it just felt so much easier at the time, to deal with it alone.

Instead, it just made things worse and made her realize just how badly she missed him when she couldn't talk to him. It made him feel like he was losing his friends, which was far from true.

As proven right now by how he's smiling and laughing so easily with Tiana. She wished she could be more like her, just be a glowing happy girl who isn't scared of the boy she loves knowing that she loves him.

But now he knows how she feels, and she feels so horrible for letting it get to her to the point that she hurt him right back. He felt so bad just knowing he rejected her, what happened between him and this other girl?

How could someone hurt him so badly and be okay with that? She felt like the lowliest girl in the whole world just for hurting him for a few days. Who knows how long he's been hurting from this girl that just rejected everything he feels.

Marinette felt a little better seeing that Tiana could make him smile though. At least she's there to help him out if he needs it too.

Class began once again, all of them being separated into pairs to work on the chemistry assignment together.

As usual, she worked with Alya on the assignment. "So, are we all going together tonight or meeting up together?" Alya asked as they continued working.

"It would probably be better to go together, that way we don't lose each other in the crowd." Marinette said before Nino turned around to face them.

"We should go get Andres ice cream, first. Make it more interesting than just spending thirty minutes listening about a play." Nino said with a smirk their way, Marinette sticking her tongue out at him as he wasn't as interested in the performance as she or Alya were.

"Oh please, just be happy that we get to be one of the first ones to get the scoop." Alya replied to his lack of excitement with her usual reporter charm.

"With thousands of other people." Nino reminded, smiling wider when Alya glared at him.

Up until Mendeleiev told him to turn back around and focus on his work otherwise he might blow the entire room up.

Marinette really doubted that could ever happen, but just chose to continue working as well.

Maybe Tiana would know if it were really possible with what chemicals were provided for them. She did do that cool rainbow smoke trick once, who knows what else she knows how to do.

When class finally came to an end, she noticed more than just one bodyguard waiting near the main doors for Tiana this time. "Is everything alright with you, Tiana?" Marinette asked as they put their things back in their lockers.

"Yes, they're just making sure I actually go. Mother wants me at the theater right away so she can get me primped and primed to be the perfect little daughter for her tonight." Tiana admitted, sounding none too pleased about having to go though.

"You really sound like you don't want to go tonight." Alya pointed out before she could even say anything about the tone.

"Its not that. I just don't like being made into a pretty little doll when that's not who I am." Tiana said as she closed her locker.

"You're far from a little doll, Kitten." Marinette turned around as Adrien made that passing comment, surprised when she saw the teasing wink he sent before he walked off to the main doors with Nino.

"Kitten?" Marinette asked, confused about the nickname she had never heard him use for her.

"He keeps calling me that because he thinks I have a thing for Chat Noir." Tiana revealed, Marinette then realizing he never used a cutesy nickname like that with her before. He called her Mari, but a few of them did.

"Well you do have a thing for him." Alya teased, Tiana mockingly laughing at her as those words sunk in a little more. She knew Chat had gone to see Tiana a few times, was it really possible that she did in fact start having feelings for the man that was supposed to be her partner?

That claimed he loved her and would continue to wait for her?

It left a bad feeling in her stomach that only served to confuse her on its real nature. On if it was because someone else might like her partner, or because she knew he claimed to love her and only her.

"I don't. I told this same thing to Lover Boy, but he's incessant on calling me Kitten because he knows I don't care for it." Tiana said and only made the bad feeling increase by her own nickname for Adrien. Lover boy? Was it because of this girl that he liked? Or was there more going on between the two of them than she realized before?

"You better get going, those two look like they're getting impatient." Alya pointed towards the two bodyguards by the door, Tiana sighing before walking away after a quick goodbye.

"We'll see you tonight." Marinette called after her before she walked out the door with the two large men in tow.

"I already know what your thinking." Alya said after a minute of silently finishing with their lockers and starting towards the doors. "If you're actually worrying that she and Adrien have a thing, you shouldn't worry about it. We both know that she's doing her...whatever with Nathaniel." Alya reminded her of the red head that claimed he still had to sift through his feelings for Tiana.

But that's the thing. Nathaniel could feel that way and Tiana could not share the same feelings. Just like what happened between her and Adrien. She knew she shouldn't worry about Tiana, if she would fall for Adrien the way she felt.

But Adrien, who knows. He was hurt by this mystery girl, and instead of being the one to help him and maybe be the one he chooses instead, it was Tiana. What if he chose Tiana over her, especially after what has happened in the last few days.

"I know, it's not her that I'm worried about." Marinette admitted as they walked out the doors, spying Nino waiting down by the street for them like he promised Alya he would.

She needs to stop thinking on this and driving herself nearly crazy. Tonight was supposed to be a good night, she and all of her friends were going to have fun and finish the week on a good note.

"Let's go get ready, ladies." Nino said with a wide grin before Marinette began leading the way back to her house where they would be preparing for tonight.

As time passed at they got closer and closer to the big reveal, Marinette could practically feel herself buzzing with excitement. Looking downstairs at her parents, they looked just about the same as her.

It was like when she was young again, and Papa would tell her days before what they would be going to see. Then the day of they'd both be just bouncing with excitement. But now that she's older, she thinks its more so because she just got to go do something special with her parents. And now her friends too.

"Is Nathaniel still coming?" Nino asked, Marinette shooing him off the counter that he was sitting on. "He was supposed to be here by now." Nino reminded her by tapping his wrist, even though he wasn't actually wearing a watch to emphasize his point.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon. I'm just glad he's going, this is the first time he's going to do something with us when Tiana isn't around." Marinette said as Alya came out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to go.

"People are already arriving." Alya revealed, hardly looking up from her phone screen.

"Then we should probably do the same. Come on, we'll find Nat on the way with everyone else." Nino said while walking towards the door.

Marinette giggled before grabbing her things quickly and following, Alya beating her out the door with Nino. "Papa, we're heading out early. We'll see you there." Marinette called to her father in the kitchen as they walked down the steps.

"Alright, have fun Marinette." Marinette heard him call back just before closing the door and heading out.

Like Nino said, they found Nathaniel heading their way as they were on their way. As they arrived at the theater, they found Juleka, Rose, Alix and Mylene already waiting for them.

Filing into the large auditorium, there were already so many people there. It was so nice to see their city coming together for something that didn't involve Akumas or thieves.

"Hey look, there's Adrien and his dad." Nino pointed out once they sat down. Looking in the direction he was pointing, she spotted Adrien and his dad sitting up in one of the box seats. His bodyguard and the woman she knew to be Natalie were also with them, but Adrien himself looked completely bored.

"I wonder what Tiana's job in all of this is." Nathaniel muttered from beside her, Marinette looking to all of the people running around on or near the stage but not seeing her.

"I'm sure she's probably working close to her mother." Marinette reasoned before the sound of someone tapping a microphone broke the air and the whole room silenced in anticipation.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the playwright and director of this years performance, Mrs. Delphine Serafini." The room burst into applause as the woman everyone had been waited for walked out onto the stage, Marinette remembering the first time she had seen her years ago.

Her black hair was pulled back into a bun and her face held that air of professionalism that she was known for. She waved to the audience briefly before coming to a stop in the middle of the stage, just then noticing the microphone attached to the collar of her jacket.

"Thank you all for coming tonight." Delphine's voice on the speakers cut the applause abruptly, like she demanded all eyes and attention on her. "It is so wonderful to be able to put on a performance for Paris for the first time in nearly ten years, I am so happy to be back." Delphine said with a cool smile as she walked closer to the edge of the stage.

"So, it is with great excitement not just from me but everyone working together on this years project that I announce the work of choice for this year. We will be putting on for all of you my own rendition of Beauty and the Beast, a tale as old as time that can never be told enough." Delphine announced and suddenly the whole room burst into applause and cheers.

Marinette herself couldn't help the excited squeal over how Delphine chose to jump on the bandwagon of Disney performances now.

"And as for the leads, I am more than happy to announce that in the place of Belle will be none other than my own daughter in her first major role, Tatiana Serafini." Marinette's jaw dropped, unsure if she had just heard that right.

She didn't have much time to think on that though when her eyes caught a flutter of black near the curtains behind Delphine. It can't be... Not right now, not here!

* * *

 **I know, I know I'm late! I'm sorry, I've been busy and haven't been able to finish writing this until just now. I have an interview tomorrow for a job that I've been trying to get for the last three years, so I've been more focused on that than I have been on writing. I'm sorry if it seems rushed at any point.**

 **I'm a bad person with the cliffhangers, aren't I? This wasn't how I wanted to end this chapter, but I just ran out of space and wanted to get this out because I knew I was already late publishing.**

 **But yay, Adrien and Marinette are back on good terms again! I would say no more awkwardness, but less awkwardness probably fits better because it's Marinette. She's capable of being the most awkward girl in the entire show. But ooh, that ending though. I wonder what's about to happen...**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! I would say more, but I'm still preparing for tomorrow as well as I need to start the next chapter. I'll try to get the next chapter out on time, but if I'm late forgive me. I promise, I'll make the next one make up for my rushing this time. Thanks again, and I'll see you all next time!**


	27. Enter The Lions Den

Ladybug stared at the stranger in front of her with mixed suspicion and curiosity. She'd heard of him before, but never would she have expected him to show up in their city.

Certainly not in the middle of an Akuma fight like he had, and certainly not have helped end the situation either.

Why was he here? Was he going to actually be helpful, or would he pick and choose the situations much like the girl that was now believed to be his old partner.

This whole night just took one big one eighty from the moment she saw that little black butterfly a few hours ago.

* * *

Marinette could only count down from the moment the butterfly fazed through the curtains, and it took not even a minute before the curtains were suddenly ripped down like they were nothing by a creature covered in fur and horns protruding from its head.

"You dare cast that little child as my savior, as my beautiful Belle?!" The beast roared as Delphine turned to face it, and the audience began to melt into panic and hysteria.

"Who are you? You really think you can just interrupt our event like this, criticize my choice on who will be cast in our performance?" Delphine spoke as the creature stomped towards her angrily.

"Your casting of that child over the real Belle, over my belle, is an insult to not only her but to me as well. I am her Prince, I am the real Beast! Just as she is the real Belle, not your child!" The Beast roared before charging at Delphine.

Screams erupted all around her as Marinette jumped up, needing to get somewhere to transform to help Delphine and help Tiana should this man decide to go after her.

Over the scream, the room shook as a loud roar broke the air before a blur of yellow shot through the air.

With a loud crash that shook the entire auditorium, the Beast was slammed into the stage floor with a yelp and the sound of the wood beneath him splintering.

"I wouldn't try that again. Even a Beast like you can't stand up to the Mighty Lion." Marinette stared up at the stage at the man that stood between Delphine and the Akumatized Beast on the floor, dressed in tan brown and black and looking a lot like the hero she had heard Chat tell her about a while back.

His back was to the room, but his tail tipped with yellow fur swished behind him as his arms remained folded over his chest.

The Beast growled before jumping back up, snarling at the man dressed as a lion before charging at him.

Marinette felt someone pulling on her wrist and looked to her side to see Nathaniel trying to pull her out of the room, their other friends already fleeing from the impending battle.

Looking back at the stage, this Mighty Lion guy picked Delphine up like she was nothing and bounded over the audience and up into the balcony, The Beast roaring after him before slashing his clawed paws at the curtains still left on the stage.

"Fine, if you won't listen and cast the real Belle, I'll just find your fake!" The Beast roared after the fleeing playwright before stomping off the stage.

She needs to transform, now! She doesn't know much about this Mighty Lion, but she doesn't trust him to know how to handle an Akuma either.

In the chaos of everyone fleeing from the auditorium, Marinette managed to slip her hand away from Nathaniel's grip and sneak away in the madness.

Finding a broom closet down one of the hallways, she slipped inside just in time for Tikki to zip out of her purse. "Mighty Lion made a show in Paris? I haven't seen the Lion in a long time." Tikki commented, but smiled reassuringly at her upon noticing how worried she was.

"We have to help Tiana. Tikki, Spots On!" Marinette said before the red light enveloped her once again. It took barely thirty seconds, but the moment it was done she burst out of the broom closet to get to work.

As she run, she could hear smashing and more screaming in the distance. From the back of the building, from the sounds of it.

She just hoped she got to Tiana before the Beast did.

"Where is she?!" Well, that answers if he found her yet...

Weaving through fleeing backstage hands, she made it back to the back just in time to narrowly avoid a full size mirror clipping her in the head. She had to drop to the floor entirely as it sailed over her and shattered against a wall.

"You! I would make you give me your Miraculous now, but you're more useful bringing me the child that thinks she's better than my Belle." The Beast towered over her as she somersaulted away and jumped back up to her feet.

"Just because you want your wife or girlfriend to be cast in the role doesn't mean she's any less qualified to be Belle." Ladybug pointed out only to realize it was a bad idea when the ill tempered villain roared and charged at her.

Jumping to the side, she yanked her yo-yo from her side and threw it. Once the string wrapped around the beasts torso, she tried to yank him to the side.

Only for him to chortle back at her when she hardly budged him and grab the string himself.

With a yell, she was thrown down the hallway and through an open doorway.

"Well that wasn't nice. You call yourself a prince? What prince would throw a lady?" Groaning, Ladybug looked up to see Chat Noir standing just behind her. He helped her up as the Beast growled from down the hallway.

"I already had to deal with one cat tonight, I'm not in the mood for you." The Beast snarled as he stomped down the hall towards them.

Each step splintered the wood paneling beneath his clawed feet, Ladybug realizing that he was much more heavily built than she thought before. Almost like the beast from the movies.

"Well when you mistreat my lady and threaten a pretty young lady who has as much right to the role as the woman you want for it, you're going to have to tussle with me a little too." Chat quipped back, dodging to the side when the beast threw a clothing rack his way.

Spinning her yo-yo, Ladybug charged at the Beast just as Chat did, swinging it at his foot and yanking his leg back to drop him to the floor as Chat swung his baton at his shoulder.

The beast growled and snarled at them before snatching out with a claw and yanking Chat into the air, laughing deeply at him as he jumped to his feet and tried to snatch her too.

Jumping backwards, Ladybug swung her yo-yo at Chat and wrapped it around his waist to pull him free, only for all fighting to cease for a moment when a crash down the hall distracted the beast.

Following his gaze, she spotted the last person who needed to be there right now. "There you are!" The beast threw Chat at her suddenly, barely having a chance to brace herself as he slammed into her before chasing after the beast when he ran after a now fleeing Tiana.

"I'll protect her, my lady. You get that Akuma." Chat said before running off ahead of her, bounding off of the back of the angry man and getting ahead of him before chasing after Tiana.

As they raced through the hallways, they burst through the front doors of the theater just as the Beast lunged forward with a roar towards Tiana.

Another roar broke the air though, just like last time. Just on cue, Mighty Lion smashed down onto the beast from above with a sickening crunch and brought him to the ground.

"I did warn you. I'll be the only furry Prince touching this Belle right now." Mighty Lion raced forward and grabbed Tiana, bounding off down the street away from the villain before he could even get his barrings.

Who was this guy?

As the beast stood once again, she noticed him clutch at something against his chest. Dashing forward, she saw a flash of red against his fur before he swiped a clawed hand out and knocked her aside like she was nothing.

Whatever it was, that was the closest idea she had of being where the Akuma was hiding.

Rushing him, he roared before suddenly vaulting over her and racing off down the street in the direction that the Mighty Lion had disappeared with Tiana.

Throwing her yo-yo, she pulled herself into the air to swing after the villain as he stormed after her friend and the stranger that ran off with her.

She didn't know much about the Mighty Lion, but she hoped he kept Tiana safe. He's the second seemingly holder of a Miraculous that has entered Paris in the last few months, and she didn't trust that he wouldn't cause as much trouble as the last just yet.

Chat soared past her as she swung after the Beast, nearly landing on his back before the man vaulted on top of a parked car, single minded in his pursuit of Tiana.

He didn't even care about her or Chat, all he wanted was the girl that he viewed as stealing the role from the woman he wanted to have it.

Maybe they could use that to their advantage...

"Chat, all he wants is the girl. He doesn't care about you or I. If you can get to her, you could try to keep her safe and keep him occupied long enough for me to find the Akuma." Ladybug yelled over to her partner as he chased after the Beast.

"You're wanting to possibly risk her safety with this super strong beast?" Chat questioned her on her choice for the first time in years, catching her off guard before she refocused on the job.

"She'll have you to protect her as well as that Lion character. You alone will keep her safe, I know you will." Ladybug reasoned with him. She knew it was risky, if there were any other way she wouldn't have suggested it.

But then again, she knew Chat for whatever reason had a soft spot for Tiana. Otherwise he wouldn't keep going to see her after he helped her the first time like he's been. So even though she would be safe in his hands, she knew he probably wouldn't be happy risking her either way.

"Alright, my lady. I hope your plan works." Chat said before vaulting up onto the roof top and racing off after where Tiana must be now.

Swinging faster after the villain, she noticed the way he raised his snout to the air every so often before continuing on. If he's following Tiana by smell, then she could definitely use that to her advantage.

As they rounded a corner, a car suddenly flew through the air and smashed into the Beast. With a resounding crash, the man and the vehicle fell to the ground. What just did that?

"That really looked like it hurt. Is that enough deterrence to keep you from attacking innocent young women?" Ladybug spied Mighty Lion standing down the street, Tiana no where in sight. He grinned proudly at the villain before looking her way. "Sorry to crash the party, Ladybug. I've never been one to just sit on the sidelines and watch." Mighty Lion grinned her way now before the Beast roared and threw the car back at him.

Throwing her yo-yo to try to block it's path from hitting the Lion, she was too short and waited for the hit. Only to gape in surprise when he caught it and lifted it above his head like it weighed nothing.

What was the Lion Miraculous' ability again? It's been a while since she's seen Master Fu, even longer since they talked about the other Miraculous, but she couldn't remember if he told her what it was known for.

But from looking at how he dropped the car back to the ground before rushing at the Beast and punching him in the snout, she figured she knew now. That kind of Strength couldn't possibly be just him, it had to be his Miraculous.

"Where is the civilian?" Ladybug asked as she rushed in to help him fight against the Beast and try to subdue him.

"She's safe just like her Mother. I'm new to this whole...what are these guys called? Akumas? Or are they villains too?" Mighty Lion asked with enthusiasm as he grabbed the Beast by an arm and threw him into a nearby building.

"The Akuma is in an item on him." Ladybug explained, hoping he was nothing like Rogue Wolf and was actually here to help. "I saw him clutching something near his chest, which means the Akuma might be found around there." Ladybug alerted him as the Beast charged at her, swinging her yo-yo and wrapping it around his shoulders to restrain him as she dodged to the side.

When her boots started to scrape against the ground, Mighty Lion grabbed on to the yo-yo string as well and pulled. With a roar, the Beast was brought to his back on the ground by the two of them.

Racing forward, she spotted something red against his chest tucked within his fur.

Snatching it, she noticed it was a red rose. But before she could do any more, her wrist was suddenly snatched by the clawed hand of the Beast as he rose up with a furious snarl on his animalistic face.

"I only wanted the girl, that little thief that stole the role from the real Belle. But you just won't let me defend her against that crime, will you?" The Beast snarled as he tightened his grip on her to the point she could feel his claws beginning to nip into her arm. "Fine, if you won't let me find her. Then I'll take these first." The Beast reached with his free claw to her ear.

Struggling against him, his hand was suddenly forced away and the claws that dug into her wrist were removed by the familiar metal staff of her partner.

With a growl, he turned his gaze away from her. But not before snatching the rose from her fingers.

Ladybug barely looked up at Chat poised up on a nearby roof before slamming her boot into the Beasts stomach to throw him off, trying again to grab the rose only for him to grab her by the neck this time.

He sent her flying once again, and yet again she was caught by Chat Noir. "I couldn't find her, my lady. I see you have some extra help now though." Chat said as he nodded towards Mighty Lion who was in a fist fight with the Beast.

"He doesn't care about her anymore now. He just wants our Miraculous again." Ladybug alerted him as she spun her yo-yo and clipped the Beast in the snout, earning a furious growl as he traded his attention from the Lion to her.

"I don't know how you stop that Akuma thing, but I'll try to distract him for you, _querida_." Mighty Lion said with a wide grin before tackling the Beast. What did he call her?

Growling and roaring sounded out from the two, but above it she heard laughter. This Lion guy was certainly different, that was for sure...

Ladybug noticed the way the Beast kept angling himself to try to keep the rose against his chest safe. If there were any doubt about that being where the Akuma was, there is none now. Otherwise he wouldn't try so hard to protect it.

As Ladybug and Chat Noir charged forward to try to help Lion, a louder roar came from the Beast before suddenly throwing Mighty Lion off of him, standing and snarling furiously.

Ladybug noticed how his muscle mass began to bulge more as he breathed heavily before dropping to all four and charging her.

Being hit by the beast was like being hit by a truck, just a solid mass as he tried to claw and bite at her like a feral creature now.

Kicking up with her boots, he hardly budged against her boots against his chest she struggled to dodge his sharp claws from tearing into her.

When he managed to grab her by the neck and slam her down to the ground with a roar, she noticed something smash into the side of his head.

Snapping his gaze to the side, she followed to see Chat Noir standing beside Mighty Lion with both holding debris that must have been caused by the fighting. Taking advantage of it's waning attention on her, she brought her elbow down onto the arm of the Beast and broke his grip on her neck, rolling out from under him before he could try to get her again.

But instead of focusing on her, she jumped up quickly when he ran full speed at Chat Noir and ran with him straight into a brick wall so hard she worried if the brick would crack. He even yelped out when they hit the wall, but the Beast just snarled and snapped his teeth at Chat.

Before Ladybug could try to help him though, something dropped from the roof above onto the back of the Beast before suddenly a brilliant flash of electric blue covered the Beast as he howled in pain.

"Maybe you shouldn't play with cats." Oh no, not her. Why does she have to show up now?

Ladybug glared up at the roof to see Rogue Wolf perched on it's end with three more silver little balls fitted between her clawed fingers.

Even as the Beast let go of Chat and thrashed in pain from the electric charge she dropped on him, Ladybug could only glare at the girl that she wanted nothing more than to see behind bars. She did nothing but cause trouble from the moment she arrived, as far as she was concerned.

"My dear Wolf, it's been a while." Ladybug snapped her gaze to the Mighty Lion at those words though. Oh no, they know each other? Does that mean he's like her and will cause trouble for them too?

"Oh what are you doing here now?" Rogue Wolf's response to the big cat made her a little less suspicious as she didn't seem too interested in this new face on scene, but even if a fraction of her suspicion fell away it didn't all go with it.

"Can we take care of this guy first please, before he slams me into another wall?" Chat asked as he suddenly was once more at her side, holding his own side with an occasional wince.

"Are you alright, Chat?" Ladybug asked, but he just nodded his head and focused on the villain as he overcame the electrocution.

"That sounds more like a job for you three. You know, since you're all heroes and I'm a thief. But I will be sure to take advantage of your distraction tonight." Rogue Wolf said as she stood up. Ladybug noticed the way the Beast sniffed the air again before climbing the wall to try to get to the Wolf.

Would it be such a bad thing to let it get the Wolf?

Chat Noir and Mighty Lion raced forward to try to pull the beast off the wall. But with not much to grab on to than fur, Ladybug threw her yo-yo and wrapped it around his waist to yank him back to the ground.

But it's claws were so dug into the wall that instead of pulling him down, he too pulled down the entire side of the building and Rogue Wolf along with it.

Ladybug had to cover her mouth to fight off the urge to laugh, seeing Rogue Wolf sprawled on top of the rubble and none too happy made her all the more happy. But the groan from Chat Noir kept all laughter at bay as she raced forward to help him and Mighty Lion out of the rubble.

Fortunate for them, they were caught on the outside of the falling pieces of the building. But underneath it, she could hear the faint growling of the beast beneath it all. Helping Mighty Lion out first as he was the first she found, he brushed the dust off of his arms and looked at the mess.

"I think he's restrained enough for you to get that Akuma now." Mighty Lion mused with a grin, Ladybug still distrustful of him before going to help Chat out.

Her eyes narrowed though when she saw Rogue Wolf doing what she was meant to do, pulling Chat out from beneath the mess that she had made. Why was she helping him, she was their enemy.

Why was Chat even letting her help him, at that? It's not like he's unconscious, he has ha choice of fighting her off to keep her from doing so.

She knows she should trust him, does trust him. But Rogue Wolf? She'll never trust her, especially not right now with how she's willingly helping the guy that's her partner.

Rogue smirked at Chat as he stood back up, but before Ladybug could question what's going on the rubble suddenly exploded around them with an enraged roar.

When the dust cleared, an even angrier than before Beast stood towering over Chat Noir and Rogue Wolf.

One clawed hand swiped Chat to the side before he grabbed at Rogue and slammed her into what was left of the side of the building. She knows she should help, but she really just wanted to let Rogue suffer a little bit.

"LIONS ROAR!" A loud roar that shook the entire area around them broke the air. The Beast looked back at them for half a second before suddenly he was sent smashing through buildings at an accelerating rate.

Ladybug could only cover her ears as she looked over at the Mighty Lion and how the strong, loud sound was coming from his open mouth.

It finally came to an end after a few seconds and after the Beast had already been sent smashing through buildings and cars until he was a few blocks away.

"Show off." Ladybug turned to look at Rogue Wolf, who was crouched down low to the ground with her own ears covered.

"I just protected you again, Wolf. It's not being a show off, it's using my Strength to defend you." Mighty Lion replied to her with laughter intermingling in his words. Even if this guy was fighting against the Akuma, he knew Rogue Wolf far too well for she to just trust him right now.

"Again?" Chat asked as Ladybug rolled her eyes at the three. Running off in the direction the Beast had been send flying, she barely made it halfway to him when she spied red among the destruction.

Stooping down, she plucked the still miraculously undamaged rose from the debris.

"She doesn't deserve it." Ladybug jumped backwards as the Beast stumbled up to her looking worse for wear. "That child could never understand what Belle means to me, she will never be her. She's nothing more than a child taking advantage of her Mother controlling who gets to be my belle." The beast growled before looking at the rose between her fingers.

"Your wrong. She does deserve that role. I'm sure even that if you talked to your wife, she'd be more disappointed at how you're acting right now than how someone else got the role." Chat Noir lectured the creature as he appeared at her side once more.

Growling furiously, he stomped closer to them. "You don't know anything! She deserves that role, she deserves the world and more! That child never even auditioned for it like she had, she even skipped rehearsals and meetings too! But yet her horrid mother gave in and gave the role to her!" The Beast roared furiously, before charging at Chat Noir in his anger.

Dropping the rose for a moment, she grabbed her yo-yo and threw it at Chat, pulling him out of the way as she heard him yell Cataclysm.

In the rush of the fur covered man running past them, Chat smacked his hand into the rose just as it hit the ground at her feet.

When the little black butterfly emerged from the ashes of the rose, Ladybug spun her yo-yo and caught it. "Bye bye, little butterfly." Ladybug said once it was purged of it's evil once more.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The rush of ladybugs cleaned up the mess that had been created in the rampage of the man before settling on him, leaving a black haired man in a suit curled up on the ground in it's place.

"Wha... Where am I?" Ladybug picked up the newly recreated rose from the ground before walking over to him.

"You were Akumatized, sir. Your desire to see another woman as Belle in Mrs. Delphine Serafini's performance was taken advantage of." Ladybug explained as she handed him back the fake rose.

After explaining everything to the man, and realizing he was in fact the one Delphine had cast as Beast in the play, she wondered if he would be alright with Tiana still having the role. She wondered if he would be okay in general, actually.

But when he stumbled away to go home and find his wife, the woman he wanted to be Belle in the performance, she assumed he would be fine. The victims usually are after they're free, and eventually get back to the way things were before it happened.

Deciding to go see what's going on with this Mighty Lion guy, she realized even Chat was missing. But he did use his Cataclysm, so he might have just left without saying he was.

Ladybug didn't have to go far to find Mighty Lion, who was bantering with Rogue Wolf once again. "Oh come on, you can't say you don't miss it. That you don't miss me." Mighty Lion said before Ladybug noticed Rogue Wolf had seen her.

"Well, she wants to handcuff me. So enjoy talking with the heroes, Mighty Lion." Rogue Wolf shot into the air with a howl, gone into the night once again.

She didn't trust her not to go try to break into any stores and was about to go after her, but Mighty Lion forced her attention on him instead by laughing jovially.

* * *

All of that led up to this. Led up to her staring suspiciously at Mighty Lion as he stood in front of her with his clawed hands on his hips. "If you're wondering if I'm a neutral like her, I am not. I'm Mighty Lion, pleasure to meet you at last Ladybug of Paris." Mighty Lion formally introduced himself, holding a hand out to her.

Ladybug just stared at him for a second longer before shaking his hand.

"You said something to her about protecting her again. You've known her before now?" Ladybug questioned as Mighty Lion grinned charmingly down at her.

"Wolf? Or Rogue Wolf as she goes by now? Of course, she was my partner before she decided to become Rogue." Decided to become Rogue?

"What do you mean?" Mighty Lion's smile faltered a little at her confusion.

"You didn't know who she was before she came here?" Mighty Lion asked instead. "She was the General Wolf, what felt like a lifetime ago." Mighty Lion revealed with a reminiscent look in his eyes.

General Wolf? She's heard of that name before, but not of a woman being the General. It was an old story that she remembered Papa telling her from her childhood, a man who protected Paris for endless years. She always just thought it was stories though, she never thought much about it.

Then again, that was long before she met Tikki and realized that superheroes were very much real.

"Why did you come here then, she's been here for months but we've never met you." Ladybug said as Mighty Lion grinned charmingly once more at her.

"I don't work in this country, typically. I'm passing through, but I had to do my duty and help you when I noticed that my old friends the Serafini's were in danger. Again." Mighty Lion shrugged at that as Ladybug's confusion only grew.

He knew Tiana's family?

"You know them?" Ladybug asked, feeling more confused by the second.

"Of course, they used to live in my country!" Mighty Lion said with a laugh. "Hero of Italy, at your service. More than I'd like I would have to help Tatiana out of bad situations. I see things don't change no matter where you move." Mighty Lion continued laughing as Ladybug wondered why Tiana never said anything to her.

She knew of Mighty Lion, she must have known about General Wolf, Rogue Wolf as she is now. But why did she never say anything?

"Your not staying here like Rogue Wolf unfortunately has?" Ladybug asked, Mighty Lion ceasing his laughter at last.

"No, _querida_ , I am not. I have other countries that need my help. Besides, you and Chat Noir have done just fine protecting Paris for all these years. Having me around would just be unfair to that Hawk Moth guy." Mighty Lion mused cockily, Ladybug resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him.

Beeping resonated from both of them, Mighty Lion looking at his arm before smiling once more at her.

"It's been lovely meeting you at last. May we meet again, someday." Mighty Lion bowed to her grandly before running off into the night.

Once he was gone, Ladybug found somewhere to de-transform as well. But even when she was back to Marinette, it didn't keep the confusion in her at bay.

Tonight when she came out, she thought it was just going to be a fun night with friends. Instead, she finds out that Rogue Wolf is in fact an Ex-hero and met Mighty Lion, her ex partner.

But what confuses her the most is why Tiana never told her that she's heard of this Mighty Lion and likely knew of General Wolf. There was so much that she didn't know, but she was going to figure this all out.

* * *

 **And so we enter the Lions den, as well as so enters the Mighty Lion. But that's not the real issue here is it? Now Ladybug knows that Rogue Wolf is in fact General Wolf. Or was. But she also knows that Tiana knew of the two heroes of Italy and neglected to tell any of them about it. I mean there's also that little suspicion about Rogue helping Chat up, but that just fades to the background at the bigger worry about Rogue Wolf in general here.**

 **I apologize for the delay on this chapter. I had my interview yesterday for this job I want, and I'm really hopeful that I got it! All signs look good so far at least.**

 **So for those of you on here who don't also read the QuoteV version of this story, I'm currently having issues on that site. Someone reported this story on there and got it flagged as Mature Content, which there isn't any of that in this story nor will there likely be. Because of that, I have to repost this story on there because they removed it from general view for everyone to see that hadn't already followed it. So I'm pointing this out on here because Monday I might not update like I usually do because I have to reupload the entire story on there.**

 **I'm also going to point out that this version, from now on, will probably be a little different from that version as I'll probably censor a little of the story on there just for the sake of not giving them any ammo to report it again.**

 **Thank you all so much for your patience and listening to me rant. That's also partially why the new chapter is late today is because I had to take time I reserved for writing to try to talk to fix all those issues. It's also kind of why it's a little rushed again. I'm sorry if it seems rushed to any of you and I hope you forgive me!**

 **But I have to go, so I will see you all next chapter! Thanks for sticking with me you amazing readers!**


	28. Gone Mad

Chat Noir waited nearly twenty minutes before Tiana finally appeared in her room, almost ready to go look for her as he didn't really trust Mighty Lion. But she was here, she was safe and uninjured.

Vaulting over the wall and onto her balcony, she looked through the glass at him in surprise for a moment before walking over to open the door. "Didn't expect to see you anymore tonight." Tiana said as she opened the door and let him in.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright. I saw that guy Mighty Lion take you off away from the Akumatized victim, but when I went to protect you myself I couldn't find you." Chat explained as he walked in, flinching and holding in a hiss when he angled his body to face her but only reminded himself of the pain in his side.

Tiana noticed however, looking down at his side for half a second before waving him towards her couch. "Did you get injured tonight, Knight in Kitty Armour?" Tiana asked once he took a seat, glad he took the time to recharge before coming over so he would have plenty of time to ensure she was alright after what happened.

As it was, it took him longer than usual to join the fight because of having to get away from Father and the bodyguards. But the fact that some stranger kept her safe when he should have just left a sour taste in his mouth.

"I'm alright, _ma belle_. Just a little sour." Chat tried to assure her but she returned him a unconvinced look in her eyes before walking away.

"Stay. Sit." Chat had barely lifted himself off the couch when her order had him drop right back down onto the soft cushions, watching as she walked to the other side of the room where a mini-fridge was situated.

"You have quiet a lovely room, sorry I haven't mentioned it before." Chat complimented her as he watched her pull out an ice pack from the little fridge before coming back over to him.

"You're going to have to undo your suit to put this on your side." Tiana said as she stopped in front of him, holding the ice pack out to him.

Chat just stared up at her for a moment as that request bounced around his head a little. When it settled, he knew his face was a brilliant red and looked away from her. "I'm fine, really. It's just a little sore, nothing that won't go away with a good night's sleep." Chat reasoned as Tiana sat down beside him on the couch, still holding the ice pack.

"Humor me then, kitten." Chat felt the warmth on his face migrate south to his chest at the nickname, unsure if he's heard her call him that before. But...he's called her it plenty of times as Adrien that it felt so much different coming from her.

A sigh left his nose as he just stared at the blue ice pack in her hand before taking it and placing it to his side, wincing when he touched his side with it.

"It has to touch the skin. It's not going to do much against that suit of yours if it stood up against that beasts claws and teeth." Tiana reminded him, smiling at her at her intelligence. How she would know so much about how his suit worked, he'd ask later.

"While I know I'm hot and not afraid to show it, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable _belle_." Chat purred the nickname, unable to deny that the name really suited her since he'd already been calling her it for a few months prior.

"You act as if it would be the first time I've seen a half naked man. I'm not unfamiliar to the sight, Chat." Chat felt his pride and enjoyment of the situation sour just with that one sentence, looking away from her as he wondered just who she had seen as such.

Why did he care? She's a woman, nearly an adult. She's allowed to do as she pleases, but why does it leave a sour taste in his mouth just to even know about it?

"Aw so you do get jealous of girls other than Ladybug." Chat looked back at her at the teasing tone, eyes widening when he noticed her standing in front of him now instead of sitting beside him. "Well, for your information, the Mighty Lion that helped you two out tonight is very familiar with me. He's never hesitated to start pulling off the top half of his suit to flaunt himself. Prideful big cat." Chat felt a growl rolling up from his chest at the notion.

But when the information that she has known Mighty Lion before tonight settled in his mind, the growl died out. She knew him? She's met Mighty Lion before, and she never told him as Chat or their friends when he's Adrien? Does that mean she knew of Rogue Wolf then as well since she was his old partner but never told him of that either?

Why had she never told him?

"Where's your zipper then?" Tiana asked, still all about trying to help him when he just wanted answers. The pain in his side could wait.

"You knew him? You never told me you knew other heroes like myself or Ladybug." Chat Noir pointed out as he sat up a little, only to wince and lean back into the couch when she pushed him back by the shoulder.

"I knew him a while ago. He was the hero of Italy, my old home. Him and his partner, but she just disappeared over two years ago so everyone assumed she either gave up the job or was forced to quit." Tiana shrugged, but he noticed the way her eyes didn't meet him as she spoke about the Lion's partner. How she looked like she was reliving old memories in her mind.

"Did you meet both of them, _mon cher_?" Chat asked carefully, freezing when her hand reached forward and tugged on his bell. How did she figure that out without him saying anything?

Pushing her hand away, he pulled the bell up and found the hidden zipper himself. Pulling it down just to his upper stomach, he took the ice pack back from Tiana and placed it against his side. A hiss left his mouth the moment the chill touched his skin, but it started to sooth the pain beneath his skin after a few seconds.

"You have bruising." Chat looked down at his side at her words to see she was in fact right, a purple bruise still forming on the side of his ribs. Well, what with how quickly he heals as Chat Noir if it's just a bruise it'll be gone in a day or two.

"It's fine, you don't have to worry yourself sick about me. I've had worse happen." Chat assured her before watching as she took a seat beside him again, this time sitting on the side where he was holding the ice pack.

"Such a horrible reason to be Akumatized. I hardly spoke to the man, but I know his wife wasn't as upset about the casting as he was. Mother just changed us out so that I'm Belle and she's Mrs. Potts." Tiana said with a shake of her head, sounding more annoyed about the casting than by the fact that the Akumatized man was trying to harm her.

"Did you not want the role, Princess?" Chat grinned at her irked look for the nickname.

"I didn't audition for it. Mother just cast me because she wanted our name all over the performance instead of just on the play bill as the playwright. I don't believe I deserve something if I didn't actually try to get it." Tiana explained, Chat remembering how the Beast had mentioned she hadn't auditioned nor did she appear at every rehearsal or meeting.

Chat winced when Tiana reached over and pulled the ice pack from his rib to look at his bruising, her starkly warm fingers in comparison to his cold skin making him shiver. What with what all has happened tonight, he just wanted to be close to her right now.

He wanted to be the one to protect her, even though he knew she was brave and strong and could handle herself. He wanted to be the one to save her, but instead it had been Mighty Lion whom she's known much longer than him and probably trusts better than she trusts him.

Chat leaned a little closer into her as she pressed the ice pack back to his side, shoulder touching her own as he wanted to at least be close if he couldn't defend her right now. She tensed when his shoulder touched his own, but relaxed after a few seconds.

Chat relaxed as silence enveloped them for a moment, allowing Tiana to hold the ice pack to his skin as he just enjoyed her presence and tried to wind down. Closing his eyes, he could just stay like this and be happy he felt.

He felt his chest vibrating faintly but was too relaxed to care at the moment. Well, until Tiana began giggling beside him. "You purr, Knight In Kitty Armour?" Chat sat up abruptly, only to yelp as the sudden action pulled his muscles tight and sent a jolting pain through his ribs as reminder that he wasn't all healthy at the moment.

Chat went to grab his side only for his hand to meet Tiana's. It was like that time in the library again, electricity racing across his gloved hand that touched her bare one. He could feel his heart rate picking up as Tiana pressed the ice back to his skin and pulled him back into the couch with her other hand.

Why was he having this reaction to her again? This hasn't happened since that one time, why now?

"You know, getting embarrassed right now when you're hurt is probably a bad idea." Tiana said as he pressed his hand over the ice pack to hold it for himself, Tiana pulling her hand away much to his chagrin.

Chat just watched her from the corner of his eye for a moment, how she smiled so gently at his embarrassment over being caught purring. Then again, if she knew more Miraculous Holders than himself, she was probably used to this wasn't she? That reminds him, she didn't answer his question.

"Did you meet both Mighty Lion and his partner, _ma belle_?" Chat asked as he watched her tuck her legs up underneath her.

"I met Mighty Lion plenty of times, but his partner only once or twice. Lion, much like yourself, believed I had some kind of wish for danger so would keep an eye out to make sure I wasn't in any danger." Tiana explained and while it should have made him feel better to know she only met General Wolf once or twice, hearing about her encounters with the Lion just returned the sour taste to his mouth.

He really enjoyed visiting with her as Chat, but did she cherish them as much as he did? Or was he just another cat knocking at her door? Why did this bother him so much?

"You look like a pouting kitten." Chat looked up at her words, having not realized he was just staring at the ice pack against his skin.

"I'm not pouting, I'm just thinking. I couldn't find you when I went to protect you, where did he leave you before coming to assist us?" Chat asked to try to change the subject from her teasing for the moment.

"Here, just like Mother. He dropped me off in the garden, said he'd be back and left." Tiana said with a shrug, but if she had really been here this whole time why did it take her so long to come up to her room?

Stop, stop over analyzing everything. She shares the prison like life with him, she was probably just being swarmed by her bodyguards and such. Which...he would also be getting an ear full of when he got home too. _Great._

"Just because I know another cat doesn't mean you should be getting jealous, Chat." Tiana teased him, smirking at him the way she does to him when he's Adrien.

"I worry about your safety, _ma belle_. It's not jealousy, just making sure you keep your end of the bargain and stay safe." Chat quipped back with his own smirk that felt like it didn't quiet reach his eyes in teasing.

"This was not my fault. This was a coincidence." Tiana pointed out, poking him in the bicep with one finger that made his teasing smile much easier as he just wanted to enjoy his time as Chat with her.

"I didn't say it was. But not leaving the scene when you should have..." Chat trailed off with a smirk, laughing when Tiana just rolled her eyes at him and leaned back into the couch. Her shoulder met his own once more and he just continued smiling at her.

"You know, I'm not a child." Chat stopped smiling at her pouting, sighing and leaning closer to her even though he could feel his muscles in his sides protesting. "I know when my actions are right or wrong, but..." Chat cut her off by nudging his nose against her shoulder, surprised himself with his boldness.

"I'm not criticizing you or reprimanding you. As long as your safe and unharmed, everything's fine Princess." Chat expected a swat for the nickname or even a glare, but instead felt her arm circle around his back. Not wanting to pass up the chance for a hug, he pulled his face away from her shoulder and returned it with his free arm.

"I don't understand why you come out here and use time you could be with Ladybug on me." Chat blinked at that uncharacteristic comment, pulling away to look at her in surprise.

Yes, he wished he could spend more time with Ladybug. He wished things were better between them and that at least he could feel more trusted, but that didn't mean he didn't want to come spend time with her either.

He stayed up almost all night last night after all just talking with her, she made it easier to forget the pains of his life at the moment. She made it easier to smile.

"Why would you say that, _mon cher_?" Chat asked, pulling his arm free from her as he watched her look to the balcony doors.

"You made it sound like your main priority with me is just ensuring my safety, which is what you do with the rest of Paris. But unlike them, you also make it sound like I just jeopardize my safety far too often." Chat frowned at her and how she was being so gloom.

"Tiana..." Chat cut short when a thump from the balcony reached his ears, dragging his gaze away from her just in time for the doors to swing open.

Unfortunately, there stood Mighty Lion at the worst timing possible.

Leaning against the now open doorway, the brown eyed hero switched his gaze from Tiana to him with a surprised look. "Oh ho ho, have I come at a bad time to make sure you actually stayed put my dear?" Mighty Lion mused with a teasing smile that showed his pearly white teeth.

Feeling the breeze from outside ghost against the skin of his stomach and chest, Chat then remembered his suit was unzipped while he iced his side. Fumbling with the ice pack for a moment, he let it drop to the couch and re-zipped his suit.

"You knew I would stay put. You dropped me off right in front of nearly two dozen security cameras. They wouldn't let me walk back out those gates." Tiana said as Chat sat up fully, unable to deny her giving him the ice pack for his side did help. It didn't hurt as much, he'd thank her when this stranger left.

Also after they finish their discussion that he so rudely interrupted.

"True." Mighty Lion agreed with a nod of his head. "But I didn't expect to come back to see you with a half naked cat. You do have quiet the soft spot for us cats, don't ya Princesa." Chat felt a growl bubbling up in his chest at the nickname, not just because he knew Tiana didn't like it but because he was supposed to be the one to tease her with it. Not some stranger that just shows up in their city out of nowhere.

"First, should I remind you what happened last time you called me Princess? And second, when have I ever chosen a cat over a dog? I have like six of them downstairs right now. In fact..." Tiana cut short with a shrill whistle that made his ears ring a little.

With a bang, her bedroom door opened and in charged her guard dog King, barring his teeth at both of them the moment he stopped right beside Tiana.

Chat jumped up and moved away from the dog, not feeling like adding dog bites to his list of injuries tonight.

Looking down at King, he noticed the golden eyed dog looking more towards Mighty Lion though. So hopefully it would scare the big cat away.

Nope, instead Mighty Lion just laughed heartily at the dog. "You haven't changed a bit, Tiana. Good to see you have a new cat watching out for you while I can't. Mighty Lion, by the way." Mighty Lion extended a hand in his direction, so Chat bit his cheek and walked over to play nice for the moment.

"We met earlier." Chat reminded as he shook his hand, Mighty Lion still grinning regardless of if he noticed his sour mood.

"Yeah I know. We both had that building fall on us though, so just making sure you remember who I am. Well, are you alright then _querida_? No bumps or bruises or cat scratches?" Chat turned away from him to restrain the urge to glare at him for the quip that was obviously meant towards him.

"If I had any cat scratches, they'd be from you." Tiana quipped back, Chat feeling ready to leave as he didn't want to think about the way she talked to Lion made him feel so irritated or why it made him feel such a way even.

He could just get home, deal with the lectures from Father and everyone else and go to his room to text her in the privacy of his own home and as Adrien again.

"Well, I should get going. I have to go back to my home, happy to see you're doing so well in your new one. Until next time, _mi estrellita_." Mighty Lion bowed to Tiana and cast him a smile before finally leaving, closing the balcony doors on his way out.

Chat was glad he wouldn't be a sticking around their city. They were just fine with just him and Ladybug. Well, and Rogue too so long as she wasn't causing mayhem.

Looking away from the door and back at Tiana, he watched as she plucked the ice pack off her couch. King jumped up on the couch and took his spot beside her though before he could even consider taking a seat again.

For a dog, why did he look so antagonizing. Like it was mocking him?

He just needs to get home and get some sleep. He feels like he's going mad tonight. Sleep will help.

"You look better now that you iced the bruising." Tiana commented as he looked back at the balcony doors. "If you're wanting to leave, you can Chat Noir. You don't have to stay just to try to protect me from Lion." Tiana said as he looked back at her, remembering their previous conversation had been interrupted by Mighty Lion.

" _Mon cher_ I don't come here just to make sure you're safe or just to protect you." Chat said as he walked back over to her, freezing for a moment when he got close and King growled at him.

"I know, I'm one of the mechanisms that helps you forget about your problems with Ladybug." Tiana said as he frowned at her obvious defense mechanism of making jokes to lighten situations.

Stepping around the dog, he took a seat on her other side. Only for King to lay his head down on her legs and continue glaring at him. Really?

Chat sighed at the hostile dog, deciding to ignore him for the moment. "Tiana, I genuinely enjoy spending time with you. Yes, I would prefer you stay safe, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy just coming to talk to you for a little while." Chat said as Tiana kept her eyes on the dog on her lap instead of on him like she usually would.

When she kept silent though, he scooted over and ignored the once more growling dog. "He's territorial." Tiana finally spoke, looking up as she patted the head of the dog.

"Yeah I spend enough time around a wolf to not be afraid of your hybrid dog." Chat said and felt a little better when she actually laughed at him. "Why are you so glum, you were fine earlier." Chat said as he placed a hand on her forearm.

"I'm not glum. I'm sugar sweet as always." Tiana said, but he just gave her an unimpressed tilt of his head and she stopped trying to hide behind her facade at last. "You and Mighty Lion aren't the only ones who think I do nothing but cause trouble. Mother thinks the same, and I already know she'll blame me for tonight even though she was the one who out of nowhere decided to cast me as the lead of her play." Tiana explained, Chat frowning at her words.

The frown melted away when she leaned over and her head met his shoulder, wanting to see her smile but pretty content with this.

"It's not your fault." Chat reminded, earning a hum of agreement from her as he took a deep breath to relax again with her. His nose was invaded by her scent of citrus and sea breeze once again, calming him about as well as being close to her.

"You should probably go before someone comes to get me for her to yell at me." Tiana said, pulling away far too soon for his liking.

Chat didn't want to leave just yet though. He wanted to protect her, especially from her Mother whom she's done so much for but makes her feel so inferior. How could a mother make their child feel such a way?

"Do you want me to leave?" Chat asked instead of moving, propping his arm on the back of the couch as she looked at him curiously. Flashing her his signature charming smile, she chuckled quietly at him.

"It would probably be for the best." Tiana replied, but he just grinned wider at how she didn't exactly say she wanted him to leave.

Leaning closer, he grinned wider at her. "You didn't say you wanted me to leave though. Come on, _mon cher_. Do you enjoy my visits?" Chat asked with a tilt of his head, looking down for a moment at the once more growling dog.

"It's more interesting than sitting and staying like the good little girl that Mother wants me to be." Tiana said simply, Chat just staring back at her for a moment as he wished he could do more to help her. He knew how it felt to be locked up, but over the years Father has given him more freedom. Does she have less than what little he himself has now?

Pulling back from her, he stood up. "Well, _Belle_ , purrhaps next time I'll take you out on the town. Let you not only enjoy my presence but some freedom for a night." Chat offered with a warm smile at her. He just held his smile as he stared at him for a minute like she didn't know what to say.

When she stood up to walk him to the door, he wondered if she didn't want to go with him and was just not wanting to say it. "Knight in Kitty Armour, you'd really take your time to go out on the town with me?" Tiana finally spoke when they reached the balcony doors.

Nodding, he received what he believed to be his customary hug from her before he leaves. If only she'd hug him more when he's Adrien, it's like he could feel the stress and anxiety melt away just from her hug.

Pulling away from her once her arms left his neck, he smiled at her once more. "Thank you for staying safe tonight, and helping me with my injury." Chat said before wincing as Tiana proceeded to prod his side inquisitively.

"When you get the chance ice it some more. I'm sure you'll be fine." Tiana said as he began to wonder why she knew so much about treating injuries.

"Have you been injured enough to know all this off hand?" Chat asked, receiving an innocent blink of her blue eyes and scoffing as that was enough of an answer. What else would he expect, she did Fence just like him. He shouldn't be surprised that she knew how to treat injuries.

"Tiana, your presence is requested by your Mother." Tiana looked away from him and to the door behind her, following her gaze to the closed door. When she sighed, he just wanted to swoop her away from the lecture she knew was coming.

"Just a second." Tiana called back through the door, looking back at him with a small frown. "As I predicted. I'll see you around, Knight in Kitty Armour." Tiana said with a small half smile at him, opening the balcony door for him.

Chat frowned before stealing her away in a hug one last time, hoping his own hug has the same calming effect her own has on him. "I'll see you soon, _ma belle_." Chat murmured against her shoulder, smiling a little when he felt her relax a little against him before he let go of her. "Don't let her convince you it's your fault, you've done nothing wrong." Chat reminded her before letting go and walking out to the balcony.

Stepping up on to the railing to leave, he bowed to her and sent her a wink before jumping away from her balcony.

When he gets home and finishes with his own lectures, he's definitely making sure she's fine as Adrien.

* * *

Tiana flopped back into her bed, wanting nothing more than to sleep. Tonight just went completely mad, and it was all because of one hasty decision to change casting for the performance.

She didn't want to think about her Mother ranting about how her big night had been ruined by that beast of a man. Even less though did she like knowing that Mother hadn't hesitated to fire him from the theater upon finding out it was he whom had been Akumatized. It wasn't even his fault, if anything it was Hawk Moth. But she still fired him anyways.

Amazingly, she wasn't blamed for anything even though it was she that the beast wanted. Mother probably didn't want to vocally show it, but she knew that was probably how she was feeling. She just wanted to focus on the poor man she fired.

It was a stupid decision in her opinion though not just because the man didn't deserve it but because it would no doubt cause backlash among the rest of the men and women working on this performance. Not to mention how the press would have a field day with it. But knowing Mother, she'll probably sit down with the man and work out an agreement or something.

Probably pay him to tell the press that he's choosing to depart from the performance due to embarrassment, something like that.

Tiana looked to her side as she heard a buzz from her desk, rolling off her bed to go grab her phone.

Once it was in her fingers, she laid back down. Verro was already out like a light on his pillow, so she was relatively alone.

Tiana was mildly surprised to see it was Adrien who had texted her, she would have thought he'd be asleep by now with how late they were up last night. " _Are you alright, we saw what happened at the theater._ " That was only one of many he'd sent her in the past hour.

That's right, he and his Father had box seats. Then the rest of their friends were seated out in the orchestra. All of them had seen the Akuma performance.

The most recent one made her smile though. " _If you're asleep already, hope you sleep well with your dreams of Chat Noir, Kitten._ "

He just couldn't help himself, could he?

" _No, I'm not asleep, Lover Boy. I only just got back to my phone, I was with my Mother._ " Tiana sent the reply before looking at the sleeping Kwami on his own pillow on the bed.

He had gotten really protective earlier when Mighty Lion and Chat Noir were here. At one point she actually thought he might try to bite Chat. Why he was getting so protective all of a sudden eluded her, but he likely won't tell her either knowing him.

Probably just him trying to keep her away from the hero's when they technically still weren't heroes themselves. At the moment at least.

At least Mighty Lion isn't sticking around to try to persuade her to come back to the hero side. He enjoyed it enough teasing her before she bolted to transform back earlier.

Her phone buzzed where she left it on her side, picking it up to see a reply from Adrien. " _Is everything alright?_ " He was just like Chat Noir, trying to make sure she was alright.

Though, knowing the rest of their friends she's sure they'll be asking her the same tomorrow as well.

" _Oui, I am fine Lover Boy. Shouldn't you be sleeping, you didn't get much last night._ " Tiana already knew she'd probably get a sassy comment back before he even replied.

" _Says the reason why I didn't get much sleep. You need it too, probably more than me since you've had a long night._ " If only he knew the half of it. But she wouldn't tell him about her encounters with the heroes, she didn't want anyone getting suspicious or prying into her business.

Besides, then he'd never stop calling her Kitten. It would be set in stone in his mind that she is interested in the kitty.

Though right now, she's not really sure how to feel about him. As Rogue or as Tiana.

" _I'm fine, I'm not tired at all._ " Tiana replied simply to his last text. Yes, she felt mentally tired. But physically her body didn't feel ready to sleep yet. She knew she'd probably be up half the night again just thinking because of the injustice her mother has committed against that poor man who was truly the victim in all of this.

Adrien replied not seconds after she had sent her last message. " _Are you sure you're alright? You spent last night making sure I was fine, now it's my turn. Talk with me, Kitten._ " Tiana couldn't help but grin and giggle at his message.

He had such a kind heart. No wonder Marinette's been in love with him for the last three years. She hoped that the two of them were alright now though and would get back to the way they were before he found out how she feels.

Tiana didn't even get a chance to reply to his text before her phone began to continually buzz, letting her know she was receiving a call. Well, impatient this one is.

Hitting the answer button, he beat her to the first word. "Come on, talk with me. I know when your texts are short or lacking emojis something's bothering you by now." Adrien said first, and Tiana couldn't hold in the laughter this time.

She would get in to why he's analyzing her behavioral patterns later.

"You're stubborn, Lover Boy. You know you need sleep with your busy schedule."

"Just like you need it too. But here we are." Adrien quipped back, both of them laughing lightly together.

Maybe another night of messed up sleep wouldn't hurt... Besides, he probably won't give up until he helps in some way. She's glad she has more people than Verro or Grandfather to lean on now.

* * *

 **Sweet little fluffy moments, oh how I love them. But what's this, what's going on Chat Noir? Jealousy? Why that can't be normal at all, now can it? I wonder what's going on there.**

 **But even that's not all that matters here, we see more of Mighty Lion, and by the way that Kwami has a picture in the version of this story on QuoteV. Wish I could put pictures in this version, but it's alright. We're gonna find out more about his Kwami later on, including it's name. Excited for that part to come!**

 **Now, not only is Ladybug a bit suspicious of Tiana's newly revealed past with Mighty Lion and General Wolf, but Chat Noir is too. Though, Chat knows a bit more than Ladybug at this point. Can only wonder where that will end up heading for her dynamic with Tiana. Yeah I haven't started on the next chapter yet, so even I don't know...**

 **Thank you all so much for your patience! For putting up with my sometimes late chapters and my rambling last chapter about what happened to the QuoteV version of this story. I'm just glad I didn't have to go through all the chapters here and redo everything like I had to on there. This site will always be my favorite, and this story will continue on for who knows how long. So please stick around if you'd like!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! Please let me know in the discussions if you see any errors as I was rushing through all the chapters for the other version of this story! I will see you in the next chapter!**


	29. Prisoner

Tiana flicked through the channels on the TV in boredom. Verro was laid out on the coffee table in front of her eating his lunch, content with their Saturday.

But she was so bored! She hasn't been able to leave her room for more than an hour today before Beau shoves her right back in by Mother's orders!

This morning she got enough of Alya badgering her with questions about Mighty Lion and what happened last night that for a little while she was occupied.

Then Marinette and Nathaniel also asking her if she was alright kept her occupied for another hour or so.

But now, now she was bored again with nothing to do but flick between channels on the TV that she hardly ever watched because she was almost never in her room this long.

"Where's your distracting Lover Boy? You haven't talked to him at all today." Verro teased her through a mouth full of his food.

"He probably has some modeling work to do. I have no idea." Tiana said with a shrug as she finally settled on a channel with a horror film playing.

"What's going on with you two anyways?" Verro asked after a few minutes of just watching the movie play on the TV. "That's two nights now that you two have stayed up late talking. You don't do that with the red head that's doting on you." Tiana rolled her eyes at his description of Nathaniel.

"It's what friends do." Tiana said simply, but Verro snorted at her response.

"If that's true, then why not with your admirer or the girls?" Verro asked as he flashed her a smirk, Tiana rolling her eyes once more at his need to tease her.

"Are you as bored as I am that you're resorting to teasing me over something so pointless?"

"Yes, yes I am." Verro threw his last spicy stuffed meatball in his mouth before falling onto his back on the coffee table.

"Well we can't escape together if they're guarding the halls to prevent us from getting downstairs." Tiana reminded, wishing she had gotten around to taking care of the security cameras outside her balcony like she had planned to do weeks ago.

Why didn't she ever leave any of her tricks in her room? It's not like the staff come in here when she's not inside and find her tools anyways. Not only was it by her request but Grandfather told them as well to give her privacy.

Though... Him not knowing about her tricks and tools and such is also a good idea.

"Does she really have to do this here? It's not like you have that guy to cause chaos with anymore." Tiana couldn't help but grin at who he was referring to.

As if said guy knew he was being spoken about, Tiana heard her phone ring that tone that she hasn't heard in months from over on her bed.

Tiana jumped up and ran for it before Verro could try to reject the call, flipping onto the bed and grabbing it and smirking at the wolf who had been so close to grabbing her phone. Accepting it, she had to hold the phone away from her ear at the familiar greeting in a still somewhat foreign language to her.

"What have you been getting up to? I saw what happened last night, _Rafiki yangu_." Tiana laughed at his voice, having not heard from her friend in so many months she almost thought he'd forgotten about her.

"Martinus, I'm insulted. It's been months." Tiana replied instead of playing in to his comment about last night's chaos.

"Aww you did miss me." Martinus' happy voice was always a welcome sound.

Long before she had come to Paris with her family, Martinus had been her best friend other than Verro himself. They had known each other since back around when Grandfather first passed Verro on to her, actually.

When she'd be feeling down or like the prisoner that Mother made her feel like, Martinus would help her forget. In return, when he was actually sitting still and not off missing somewhere causing trouble, she was his closest and most stable friend.

Stable because he bounced between Italy and Tanzania where his mother worked as a diplomat. So having friends had been a tough subject for him just as it was for herself.

"So what happened this time then? You didn't get hurt?" Martinus asked as she laid back in her mountain of pillows.

"No, I'm not a child anymore you know. Do you remember when Grandfather told us a year or two back about that guy Hawk Moth in Paris?" Tiana asked, earning a hum of acknowledgment that he remembered. "Well, he sent this little creature to possess the lead of Mother's play last night. He wasn't particularly happy with the fact that she swapped me out with his wife so that I would be lead instead." Tiana explained as she watched Verro float back to the couch to continue watching TV.

"You know, I was actually in town last night. The old man flew me in for the night to come to the theater for your mom's reveal." Tiana went to open her mouth and question why he didn't tell her he was coming, but he cut her short. "It was supposed to be a surprise. But I found out before I even left yesterday morning that I had to be back for a meeting today, so I left after your grand dad let me know you were alright." Martinus said as Tiana bit her tongue to keep herself from chastising him about calling her Grandfather old man.

"You couldn't come back to the estate to even say hi?" Tiana asked, knowing she was probably coming across as childish but not stopping the tone either. He was her best friend once, maybe he still was even though it has been a while.

But it wasn't exactly right to go to the theater and see all of what had happened and not even stop by to say hi before leaving.

"I'm sorry, Tati. I would have if I could have. I didn't even come near that place. I literally was prodded right back into a limo and to the airport again the moment I left the theater." Martinus said as Tiana sighed, knowing he was rather busy at times.

When he wasn't causing boyish trouble, that is.

"I promise, I'll come visit you soon. We'll go have an adventure together in your new city." Martinus offered, Tiana chuckling softly at his words as they were a direct reminder of much of their childhood together.

"Well, you'd better hurry then. Otherwise I might make plans with my other friends." Tiana teased, Martinus laughing mockingly back at her.

"As if you would choose anyone else over me. How could you pass up a chance to spend a day with me?"

"I spent a majority of my childhood with you." Tiana reminded, both of them laughing this time. It was good to know that even with such amount of time between when they last talked that talking with Martinus was still easy and comfortable.

"Hey, don't forget I made life more fun. If it weren't for us meeting, you'd probably still be the shy little girl clinging to her Grandfather's hand instead of the confident young woman that will be playing the lead in a play for all of Paris to see." Martinus pointed out, Tiana unable to deny that he was partially right.

If it weren't for them meeting, she wouldn't have learned to come out of her comfort zone and trust those that weren't within the prison walls of her home.

"So, tell me about your new friends then. I've got an hour before I have to leave for yet another meeting, so I want all the details." Martinus said with a deep chuckle, Tiana shaking her head at his rapid change in topic.

Well, she's stuck in her room anyways. At least Martinus will do what he used to do best and help her forget for a little while that she's like a prisoner in her own home thanks to the woman that is supposed to be her mother.

* * *

Marinette stared down at the spinning liquid in her cup, still continuing to twirl it around with her straw absentmindedly. She had gone for lunch with her friends, minus Tiana who was on lock down.

But right now, she wasn't exactly sure she was ready to see her even. She had so many questions to ask after last night, but she couldn't exactly ask them right now. She would have to wait until she was Ladybug again.

Like why did she not say she knew about two other heroes dressed like animals from before she moved her? It's not like they talked about Rogue Wolf, fortunately, but with Alya around they talked about Ladybug and Chat Noir quiet often.

But Tiana never mentioned that she knew two others, or that they knew her very well too. Why did Mighty Lion know Tiana so well? Why was he having to help her out so much before moving here?

Come to think of it, she doesn't remember Tiana talking about her life in Italy that much before with them. In fact, she's only heard her mention the boy that was her best friend from back home. Was she talking about Mighty Lion?

Marinette really hoped not. It's bad enough that Chat is going over and visiting her more and more often, it's not just a danger to them and their identities but a danger to her as well the more interactions she has with heroes like them.

She could only imagine what a man like Hawk Moth would do with that kind of knowledge.

"Marinette?" Marinette looked up from her drink, realizing she had gotten lost in her own thoughts. Alya just laughed at her, Nino joining in albeit a little quieter.

Nathaniel looked like he wanted to say something though, but instead just had a concerned look in his turquoise eyes.

"Who are you daydreaming about this time?" Alya asked teasingly, Marinette rolling her eyes kindheartedly before taking a sip from her drink at last.

"I was just thinking about last night." Marinette revealed, Alya immediately pulling out her phone to check her Lady blog while Nino tried to get her to leave it alone.

"Where did you go?" Nathaniel asked though, Marinette looking back at him as she tried to think of an excuse why she disappeared on them.

"I...got lost in the crowd. Everyone was just pushing and panicking, I lost you guys before I even realized it." Marinette came up with, Alya chuckling at her while Nathaniel looked away from her once again.

It was nice hanging out with him when Tiana wasn't around. It made her feel better to know he was finally looking past what happened all those years ago and treating them like friends again. Yes, he was still shy. But that was being worked through.

"Girl, and you tell me to be careful. You were so wrapped up in Delphine Serafini that you hardly moved even after that villain yanked the curtains down." Alya pointed out, Marinette frowning as she wasn't wrong. Usually she would jump up and go transform right away to try to end the situation.

But with the sudden appearance of Mighty Lion, that also delayed her because she was caught off guard by another hero showing up. It felt weird as it was having Rogue Wolf running wild in their city, but another Miraculous holder now?

That reminds her, she needs to go see Master Fu to talk to him about those two and their Miraculous'.

"So how long are we waiting for our favorite dude then? It's been an hour already." Nino said as he looked at his own phone.

That's right. Adrien was supposed to meet up with them as well, but he had a photo-shoot before hand that he had warned might run late. Maybe his Father wouldn't let him out either, like Tiana's mother was doing to her.

"I say we finish our food and if he doesn't show up we go get ice cream without him." Alya offered as their waitress finally arrived with all of their orders.

Marinette felt her phone vibrate in her pocket as they started eating, pulling it out to see a text from Adrien. " _I can't join you guys today. Father wants me to come straight home when I finish my shoot._ " Marinette frowned at the phone screen.

"Everything alright?" Nathaniel asked, drawing her attention away from her phone.

"Yeah, Adrien just texted me. His dad wants him to go home when he's done so he can't join us today." Marinette revealed to them, Nino groaning in frustration while Alya sighed.

"Doesn't his dad do this often?" Nathaniel asked, looking confusedly between her and the other two at the table.

"Not as much anymore. He usually only does it when something's happened, like last night. He probably is being overprotective of Adrien again, even though the dude's almost legally an adult." Nino said with frustration now etched across his face.

Marinette felt like he'd likely never care for Adrien's father much, not just because of the less than stellar relationship they had together but because of his rash decisions to lock Adrien up inside that house that was more like a prison.

It's not like last night had anything to do with him, after all. So him deciding to restrain Adrien to work and home was, once again, out of nowhere.

Poor Adrien. She knew he wanted to come hang out with them today, especially considering he couldn't join them last night. Instead he has to stay locked up for his weekend? It's not fair.

Maybe when they're all finished hanging out she'll try calling him. At least being able to talking with his friends should be better than nothing.

* * *

Adrien played the keys of his piano lazily, barely looking up at the sheet music. He's spent so much time practicing, he doesn't really need to look up at it too often anymore.

He should have known that Father would punish him. He did disappear for about three hours last night. The lecturing was bad when he got home, but the lock-down is the worst.

He hates being locked up. He hates being all alone like this with nothing to do but practice his piano by Father's orders, or when he's done text his friends who are having much more fun right now than he is. He just wants...

Adrien just wants to be free. For the first time as Adrien, and not just as Chat Noir.

"Your making your faces again." Plagg spoke up from where he laid on his couch. "Your "I hate the way my life is right now" face." Plagg further elaborated on his apparent faces.

"Well those faces are correct then. I want to go hang out with my friends, feel like I'm not being punished." Adrien said which in turn earned an indignant snort from Plagg.

"Except you are being punished for vanishing for three hours and then just stumbling back home." Plagg reminded him, rather rudely if he could say so.

"I'm sorry, would you rather I not do our job and protect the city? Protect one of my friends from an Akumatized man that wants to harm her?" Adrien asked sarcastically, which only in turn earned a mocking laugh back.

"If you did that it means I could spend more time eating. Oh imagine all the Camembert I could eat in the amount of time you usually are transformed." Plagg started drooling on the back of his couch just from his own thoughts, Adrien glaring at the insensitive, lazy Kwami.

"You're no help." Adrien said before continuing to focus on playing the music on his piano, never realizing how mechanical it felt until then. How it just felt more like a chore than a past time like it did when he was much younger.

"Just text your girlfriend, she'll cheer you up." Adrien's fingers stuttered and hit the wrong keys on the piano at Plagg's words, glaring over at him for the sudden outburst about him having a girlfriend.

"Really, Plagg?" Adrien questioned him about the outburst, and he just smirked right back at him. "Who are you referring to this time, Ladybug or Marinette?" Adrien asked, since now that they both knew how Marinette felt Plagg didn't hesitate to use it to tease him relentlessly.

"While I would refer to Marinette as your girlfriend since, knowing you, you're not going to want to hurt her feelings more than you already have and will try going out somewhere together to see how it works, this time I'm referring to the girl you keep staying up all night texting." Plagg revealed, Adrien sighing and looking back at the piano to continue playing.

"She's not my girlfriend." Adrien replied simply, not wanting to get into it because he knew Plagg would have more fun if he did.

But Plagg just zipped over and sat down in front of him on the top of the piano anyways. "Really? Then why is it that you keep visiting her when we're transformed? Not to mention the messed up sleep schedule because you two keep talking about random teen things until the early hours." Plagg said as he twirled his tail between his tiny paws, much like he would do at times when he's Chat Noir.

"I visit her to make sure she's alright, usually. I always have a good reason." Adrien reminded, but Plagg just laughed loudly in front of him.

"Kid, do you need me to remind you that when you transform, I basically feel everything you feel and have to share a body with you? Like I get to feel how relaxed you get when she leans on you, or how you really felt when you saw her that day you walked in on her after she got out of the shower." Adrien tried to snatch the Kwami to throw him back to the couch, but he moved faster than he did.

"I don't have a crush on her, she's not my girlfriend. I just enjoy being able to talk to someone that...understands. She knows how it feels to be locked up all the time. How it feels to love someone that doesn't love you back." Adrien muttered the last half with a bitter frown, looking down at the ivory keys beneath his hands.

Plagg remained silent for a moment before sitting down on a key, the loud ting of it resounding around his room. "Kid, maybe it's time you give up waiting for Ladybug then. If she really hurts you so much, is it really worth it?" Adrien sighed, not having wanted to think about his relationship problems with Ladybug today. "You're still partners, you're always going to have each other. But maybe not the way you've been hoping. Maybe the shy girl could help you move on even." Plagg said with a shrug of his tiny shoulders.

It still felt odd to think that Marinette had feelings for him, but maybe for once Plagg was right. Tiana was giving Nathaniel a chance to work through his feelings and time for herself to see if she would develop any.

He should do the same for Marinette. He should at least give her and himself a chance at least to see if he could develop any feelings for her.

It's a better idea than just thinking on the fact that Ladybug still doesn't love him back and loves that other boy instead. Doing nothing while she is probably much happier than he is.

And if he doesn't develop anything for Marinette, at least he could say he tried. That he gave her a chance. Hope that it doesn't hurt her more than he already has.

"So is that a you're going to give it a shot, or are you ignoring me again?" Plagg asked, crawling off of the ivory key he had sat upon and up to where his sheet music was.

"I'll...I'll try. There's no guarantee that it'll work or that it'll change how I feel about Ladybug, but I'll try." Adrien muttered, going back to playing before the Gorilla came in to grunt at him to continue practicing.

"It's better than nothing. Which is exactly what I'm going to go back to doing." Plagg said before flying off somewhere in the room, likely either to take a nap or play with something he finds.

Adrien let him do whatever and continued practicing for another fifteen minutes before he heard the buzz of his phone from his desk, deciding he had practiced enough for today.

Standing from the bench and stretching for a moment, he walked over and picked up his phone. Surprisingly, he had not just one text but two. He's surprised he didn't hear the first, which was from Tiana.

The most recent that he had actually heard was from Marinette though.

" _If your Father let's you, would you like to come out tomorrow? We were all going to go get Andres Ice cream like we planned to do last night._ " Adrien smiled at the idea. It has been a while since he went and got ice cream from Andre.

Tomorrow was a Sunday, he didn't have any photo-shoots or practice for anything. Father should let him out, hopefully.

Besides, he wanted to give Marinette a chance. Which he couldn't exactly do if he was locked up all the time. Getting ice cream from Andres sounded like the perfect idea.

" _I'll have to check with Father, but that sounds like fun. If he agrees, I'll definitely go._ " Adrien hit send before opening up the text from Tiana this time.

Adrien laughed almost immediately as he was greeted with a bunch of bored looking emoticons. Well, she had said that she wouldn't be allowed to leave her home at all today.

Obviously she must be bored out of her mind being stuck inside.

Three little dots appeared at the bottom of their chat conversation suddenly, letting him know that Tiana was typing something to him. A second later, he received said message. " _I'm so bored I might just take a nap, you know to make up for the irregular sleep schedule._ " Adrien chuckled at her throwing that that little quip in.

" _Go right ahead. Then you can dream of Chat Noir again, kitten._ " Had they been in person when he said that, he already knew he would be receiving a glare before she would change the subject off of Chat Noir.

In all honesty, he knew she had no feelings for his alter ego other than friendship. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to keep calling her his kitten so long as she kept calling him Lover Boy.

It felt odd, actually. To even think of being with Tiana in that way, be it he as Adrien or he as Chat Noir. He'd never even thought of it before, Plagg had teased him about it plenty of times but he never really thought on it.

He was happy that they had become friends. He couldn't see them not being friends now that he's met her. It's like he said to Plagg, it's nice talking to someone who actually understands. Not just says they do when they've never actually felt the way he has. No, she's actually felt how it feels to have a parent not be there all the time for her.

To be told what to do, be locked up like a prisoner in her own home. Have to work a job that's chosen for her by her parent that she really didn't want. God, she's lucky that she has her Grandfather to look out for her, he wishes he had a Grandparent or some other relative that looked out for her the way her Grandfather does for her.

It's just so easy to talk to her because of how many situations they have in their lives that are shared. He's happy the way things are, he can't see it changing in the way Plagg teases him about.

A buzz of his phone let him know one of the girls had replied to him. Looking at it, it was Tiana. " _I'd really rather not. I'd rather figure out how to get out of my room for at least an hour without being caught by Beau and shoved right back inside._ " Adrien frowned at the message.

Why was she being restricted to just her room? Was this to do with her Mother again?

" _What's going on?_ " Adrien looked up as there was a bang across the room, groaning as he saw Plagg had found something shiny to play about with.

"Oh it's so pretty, so SHINY!" Plagg wailed as he rolled around with the shiny pin that he had gotten from school so long ago he's forgotten.

For being thousands of years old, his Kwami really just acted like a little kitten at times.

Rolling his eyes at Plagg, he looked back at his phone as Tiana replied to him already. " _Oh just locked in for the day because Mother says so. Won't tell me why, of course. But this is the first time she has her thug actually watching my door to make sure I don't get out._ " Adrien furrowed his eyebrows at the message.

Suddenly an idea struck him though, walking over to his window as he glanced at Plagg again.

He's had to figure out how to escape plenty of times. Maybe, he could help her figure it out as well.

Better said, Chat Noir could own up to his offer and help her escape.

He's getting bored out of his mind just spending this nice Saturday inside anyways. Father likely wouldn't notice he's gone for a little while, which would give him time to go pick up Tiana and take her out on the town like he had offered to her last night.

"You better not be thinking about what I think you are." Plagg suddenly spoke up, Adrien looking his way to see he was pointing an accusing paw his way and holding the pin to his body with the other.

"What do you think I'm thinking?" Adrien asked, smiling innocently at his Kwami that knew he was anything but.

"You're not going to transform just to go see her. Your Dad's got his eyes on you today, you'd never get far before he realizes you're gone. Not to mention her own freakishly mean bodyguard." Plagg pointed out as he floated towards him, sticking his tongue out at the mention of Tiana's bodyguard.

That was a sentiment that they both shared, he didn't care for Beau either. From how Tiana describes it, he treats her like the ungrateful child of his boss and with very little respect unless other people are around to see it.

"Plagg-"

"No, Kid. I know you're getting all soft for her, but risking both of you getting busted is a bad idea. You gotta lay low, just enjoy the down time." Plagg said as he waved his arms out, inadvertently dropping his pin. "MY SHINY!" Plagg dove after it as Adrien looked away from him.

Yeah yeah, he knew Plagg had a point. But both he and Tiana were locked up with nothing to do. He wanted to help her, like he was supposed to do.

"Fine, what if I just go over there for a little bit?" Adrien offered, instead of risking getting her into trouble only risking himself.

"It's still too risky for you. Do you want your Dad to start threatening to pull you from stuff like Fencing, or even school?" Adrien looked away bitterly at the memory of his father threatening that all those years back.

His phone vibrated in his pocket again, twice though. Pulling it out, he found a reply from both Marinette and Tiana this time.

He opened the one from Marinette first. " _If you're bored, we could always face time. I'm still with Alya and Nino, so it would be kind of like you're with us._ " Adrien just stared at the message for a second.

She was really offering to video call him to let him feel sort of part of what they're doing? Like he wasn't just sitting in his room contemplating escaping as Chat to go help Tiana?

Adrien sometimes forgot just how kind and willing to help others Marinette really was. She really was one of the most warmhearted girls in their whole school.

Opening the message from Tiana first before responding to Marinette, he was left equally surprised by her own message. " _Aren't you into video games? If you're as bored as I am, we could try playing something together to pass the lock down time._ " A girl like her really played video games?

He could expect with her schedule that she wouldn't have time for things like playing video games. Yeah, he was a gamer himself but he didn't play as often as he used to when he was much younger.

Both offers from both girls were equally enticing. "Which one you gonna pick?" Adrien nearly jumped at Plagg's sudden intrusion, looking over his shoulder at the Kwami that had been reading without him noticing. "One wants to physically see you, well through a phone screen. The other wants to game out with you. Both obviously are interesting to you, but which one are you gonna pick?" Plagg asked, folding his paws under his little chin with an expectant smirk on his little mouth.

"I...I don't know. A second ago I was about ready to sneak out, I didn't expect either of them to actually give ideas of something to do today." Adrien said before carding the fingers of his free hand through his hair.

Plagg sat down on his shoulder as he tried to figure out which one to say yes to. "Well, I can't give you the answer. You just gotta choose which one you want to spend time with more. Marinette or Tiana. But keep in mind, these ideas are better than you sneaking out and risking your Dad punishing you again." Plagg said before grinning at him when he looked his way. "No pressure." Plagg flashed his little teeth at him before floating off with his shiny pin once more.

Wow, you're such great help Plagg.

Adrien looked down at his phone again, carding his fingers through his hair once more. Did he really have to choose between two of his closest friends?

Sighing, Adrien looked back in Plagg's direction one last time before deciding on who he was going to say yes to. Typing a quick reply, now it was time to tell the other he'd have to rain check.

At least Plagg was right. He wouldn't be risking getting in more trouble today sneaking out.

* * *

 **A bit of a filler chapter, but at the same time a bit of a lead in since I once again antagonize with the cliff hanger. Well, that and I was a little less than inspired to write this chapter due to the issues of someone continually reporting this story on the other site. I still got it written though, at least.**

 **We see that Adrien's thinking more about the situation between himself and Marinette this chapter. I wonder who he chooses in the end here. He certainly enjoys spending time with both of them, but which one more than the other?**

 **Not only that, but we finally are introduced to Tiana's old friend from her old home, Martinus. Bubbly little fellow, he. Don't worry, we'll see more of him. But now at least we see a little more into Tiana's past before coming to France.**

 **Thank you guys as always for reading! You have no idea how much I appreciate it, and thank you to those who have followed me over here from QuoteV. It helps with my inspiration for this story to know that you still want to keep reading when one bad egg just wants to shut it down. Please, let me know how you're feeling about how the story is going. Reviews definitely help when I'm feeling less than ambitious about writing at times.**

 **I'll see you next chapter, thanks again you reading you wonderful people!**


	30. Sweetheart's Ice Cream

Adrien dropped his controller, laughing triumphantly into his headset as he heard the girl on the other side yelling in her native tongue.

"How's that for a Lover Boy, huh Kitten? Can a Lover Boy do that?" Adrien asked only to laugh harder as she continued on in her native tongue that he had very little understanding of when not transformed and using his staff to translate.

They were playing Rocket League, and it was mostly back and forth of who would win. But right now, he was winning and he was enjoying having this advantage over her. It was definitely interesting to hear her gamer side come out, which seemed to be her snapping words through the mic in Italian.

"Alright, let's go again." Tiana said after a minute of silence.

"Nah, I think I'm good with this game today." Adrien replied, grinning widely even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"Fine, then we'll find something else that I can continue to put you in your place with, Lover Boy." Tiana purred the nickname through the headset, Adrien smiling a little wider at her competitive side. This was definitely new from the usual way she is outside of video games.

"Kitten, doesn't matter what game you pick. I'm still going to win so long as you keep calling me that." Adrien challenged her, looking down at his phone that was on the couch beside him as it buzzed.

When Tiana just started laughing he picked up his phone to find it was a text from Marinette again. He felt a little bad, turning down her idea. But from the looks of it they all already went home, so maybe it was for the best.

They all got to have a fun day out for their Saturday, he and Tiana get to entertain each other while stuck inside all day.

Not to mention it'll give him plenty of new material to tease her with.

"Did Marinette mention getting ice cream tomorrow to you?" Tiana asked as he typed a quick message back to said girl.

"Yeah, I told her I'd go if Father lets me. Are you going?" Adrien asked as switched to the game he saw her playing now.

"Yes, Grandfather will be back soon so he'll convince my Mother to let me leave my room finally." Tiana said before he heard another voice in the background.

"Is that your bodyguard?" Adrien asked when he heard the click that let him know she had muted her own mic.

A second later it clicked again. "You heard that? I didn't think this headset was that sensitive." Tiana said before he finally got a game invite from her to continue playing.

"Aww we have to work together this time? I was enjoying winning." Adrien mused, smirking when Tiana laughed mockingly back at him.

This time it was less Tiana shouting in Italian and him grumbling in annoyance and more chill, Adrien looking away from his TV and noticing it was dark outside. Were they playing that long?

"We've been playing for hours, Kitten." Adrien pointed out to her, mildly surprised by the fact that Natalie hadn't come to tell him to come down for dinner. Usually she would do so regardless of if he was doing something.

"We have?" Tiana asked, and after a brief silence heard her laugh through the headset. "Wow, the saying is true that time flies when you're having fun." Tiana commented as he stretched, some of his joints popping from moving at last.

"While it has been fun, I should probably go get dinner, Tiana." Adrien said as he once more heard another voice from her end of the mic. He barely muted his own in time when Plagg wailed from across the room about being starved to death.

"Perfect timing because Louie just let me know it's time for dinner here as well. I'll talk to you later, Lover Boy." Tiana once more cooed that nickname in a way that made him smile. Before he could throw her own back at her she left the party, leaving him alone once more.

Well, somewhat alone if he doesn't count the wailing Kwami across the room on his bed.

The rest of the night passed relatively calmly, Adrien not hearing from Tiana anymore but instead hearing from Marinette. At least Father agreed to let him go out for a little while tomorrow when they had dinner together, which was also a surprise as it was rare that he would eat with him anymore.

Marinette was excited, and he couldn't deny that he was too. He never got to go with them to get ice cream from Andre, every time they go he's usually busy with something, or Father just won't let him out like today.

It would definitely be better than being stuck inside when it's so nice out. Granted, he's had fun today just gaming with Tiana. But he liked actually getting out and doing things with all of his friends.

When he was laying in bed, and Plagg laying out on the couch snoring, he couldn't help feeling back for turning down face timing Marinette again. He wanted to give her a chance, but choosing Tiana's idea probably wasn't the best choice when he could have had more time to spend with Marinette.

Dragging his arm up to lay his forearm over his eyes, he bumped his phone where it laid beside him. Of course he didn't feel bad hanging out with Tiana, she needed something to distract her from her own prison. But if she was willing to give Nathaniel a chance, he would give Marinette one too.

It still just felt odd to think of him possibly striking up a relationship with her though. All these years he's only ever seen himself with Ladybug.

Adrien didn't know when he finally fell asleep, but he woke back up to a vibration against his chest, groaning and rolling away from his phone that was sounding off the alarm he couldn't quiet remember setting.

"Turn it off." Plagg grumbled from the other side of his bed, Adrien reaching behind him and grabbing the device to shut it off.

He barely hit snooze and put it back on the bed to get a little more sleep when it rang this time, startling both him and Plagg fully awake as he grabbed it to find Nino was calling him.

Why would Nino start calling him this early on a Sunday?

Answering, Nino spoke before he could. "You excited, dude? You finally get to come help us search for Andre today." Nino was far too energetic for this early in the morning.

"Nino, it's only nine." Adrien reminded him, but Nino only laughed on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, and we're all grabbing lunch before hand. Which means we're all heading out around noon." Nino revealed, Adrien confused as Marinette had only told him about the ice cream. What, were these new plans?

"Who all is going?" Adrien asked, sitting up since it was obvious Nino wouldn't let him sleep anymore. Looking to his side, Plagg flew off the bed towards the couch to go back to sleep.

"Marinette, Alya, Ivan, Mylène, Nathaniel, Tiana, you and I." Nino listed off, Adrien smiling a little at hearing that Tiana had managed to get away with going now. It must mean her Grandfather is back like she said he would be. "I got a question for you though, dude." Nino said suddenly as Adrien got up to go grab his clothes.

"What is it?" Adrien asked as he opened his closet.

"What's going on between you and Tiana, man? You two been talking a lot recently." Nino said which caught him off guard as he hadn't mentioned that to Nino. Marinette, yes she knew.

"Did Marinette tell you that?" Adrien asked as he set his phone down to grab his t-shirt off a hanger.

"We were with her yesterday still when you turned down her idea to face time. She said you wanted to play video games with Tiana instead, which I'm not knocking that idea since you know how I feel about gaming." Nino said with a brief laugh. "I just thought I'd ask because I didn't know you two were getting close. My bro isn't setting his sights on a different girl now finally is he?" Nino asked, laughing as he must have heard him sigh at what he said.

"Nino-"

"I'm just teasing, man. I know how you feel about this mystery girl." Adrien frowned, not wanting to think about Ladybug right now.

"Nino, I really don't want to think about her right now. I think...I honestly feel like it might just be better to move on from her since she won't even give me a chance." Adrien admitted as he picked his phone back up, walking out of the closet with his clothes.

"For real? I mean I knew she turned you down, but I thought you'd never give up." Nino said, making him want to just hang up so he could go shower and get ready for later. "Do you really feel like you're ready to move on?" Nino asked before he could try to say his goodbyes.

Adrien just stood there for a moment, unsure how to answer that. Because even though it hurts immensely knowing he can't have Ladybug, it doesn't stop him from still caring.

Golden eyes flashed in his mind, shaking his head to try to forget her gaze even as her words replayed in his head. " _You'll get over that pain she's given you, eventually._ " He just had to hope that she was right, and if some day Ladybug changes her mind she could try to come to him then.

But right now, he just needs something, anything, to try to forget the pain in his heart of having the woman he loves tell him she doesn't love him back. If that means he has to back down, then that's what he's going to do. At least try to do.

"Adrien?" Adrien looked at his phone again at hearing Nino call his name.

"Nino, I'll talk about this with you later. I need to go take a shower and get ready, let me know where we're supposed to all be meeting." Adrien said, barely giving Nino a chance to agree and say bye before hanging up to go get ready.

"At least you'll have ice cream to forget the heartache." Adrien frowned in the direction of his Kwami, not giving him much more thought before going into his bathroom.

Adrien pushed the thoughts of Ladybug to the back of his mind as he got ready, and by the time he met up with the rest of them at Marinette's parents bakery he was fine once again.

"That's almost everyone, we're just waiting on Tiana and Nathaniel now." Alya pointed out as they stood in the little shop.

"We're glad you were able to come this time." Marinette said, smiling earnestly at him as he smiled back. Good, things look like they're back to normal with him and Mari at least.

"I'm glad I could too. Now I can finally go with you guys to find Andre." Adrien said before the bell of the door dinged, turning to see Nathaniel walk in before Tiana too entered.

"Finally, we were waiting on you two." Nino said teasingly before grabbing Nathaniel by the shoulder, Tiana stepping away from him as Adrien and Marinette laughed at the scene.

"So far, it's looking like our best bet is to look around the Seine today." Ivan revealed as he pocketed his phone.

"That cafe you wanted us to go to is near the Seine, isn't it Marinette?" Mylène asked as Adrien smiled as a greeting to Nathaniel and Tiana once Nino released the former.

"Yes, we could go have lunch then go look for Andre." Marinette said before they all started heading out of the little bakery, Adrien bumping into Tiana by accident as he held the door open for all of them.

"Oh look, your reflexes are the same as they are when gaming." Tiana teased him with a small smile, Adrien laughing mockingly back at her before following the rest of them out.

Walking beside Marinette as they walked to the cafe, he was amazed by how Ivan and Nino were so into the hunt for where Andre was going to be today. Every time he's managed to come across Andre has usually been pretty simple, he's never had to actually search for him.

"Wait, I think I got it! It's so obvious, he went there years ago before he got Akumatized!" Nino suddenly burst out excitedly, showing his phone around to them that had a picture of Andre, a little padlock visible in the background.

"The _Pont Des Arts_ again!" Marinette squealed beside him, Adrien laughing at how excited they were to have cracked the code of where Andre would be today.

"So what's so special about his ice cream again?" Tiana asked after a few minutes of excitement going around the group.

"You haven't had it before?" Alya grabbed Tiana by the shoulder while giving her a look that Adrien knew by now meant she thought she was crazy.

"I don't get the luxury of exploring Paris yet. My Grandfather made a passing comment when I left earlier about being careful who I share with, but I didn't know what he was referencing." Tiana said with a shrug, Adrien laughing as even he knew the legend of Andres ice cream.

Even though he's never shared it with anyone.

"Ooh wait, Alya and Nino you two have shared his ice cream plenty of times. Look at you now!" Marinette suddenly squealed, grabbing onto Alya and instead turning into a tug and pull as Alya still had a hold on Tiana.

"Not to mention us." Mylène said as she squeezed Ivan's arm, Adrien holding back the urge to frown as he realized that most of them in the group were paired besides himself and Marinette.

Well, does it count actually for Tiana and Nathaniel if only Nathaniel has feelings for Tiana thus far? And not exactly solid feelings due to his feelings for Mari as well.

"Am I to assume that what's so special about his ice cream is that whomever shares ends up getting together?" Tiana asked, Adrien noticing how her interest now grew a little by how she was smiling a little more.

"My Papa proposed to my _Maman_ by putting a ring in their vanilla ice cream." Marinette revealed, surprising him as she never told them that story in the years that they had known each other. "They still call it Sweethearts Ice Cream." Marinette said with an embarrassed blush, Adrien smiling at her when she looked his way.

"That's amazing, Marinette. Your parents relationship is something many people could only dream of." Adrien said before Marinette giggled bashfully and looked away.

"Don't you dare say you don't believe in that kind of magical love." Alya tugged on Tiana again, Adrien snickering as she switched back to her native Italian tongue as she tried to get free from Alyas pull.

"I never said that, don't put words in my mouth." Tiana said before Nathaniel helped free her from Alya, Nino and Ivan pointing out that they were close to the cafe.

Fortunately, everything calmed down as they got to the cafe and got a table outside.

Seated beside Marinette, Adrien noticed how she was acting a little shyer than usual. Now that he actually knows the truth, he doesn't know how he didn't see it before when she'd be shy around him and stumbling over her words.

Wait...she's been that way for much longer than just a week or few. How long has she had a crush on him?

He was distracted when he noticed how Alya was whispering something to Alya and looking over at Marinette every few seconds. He really hoped this wasn't them trying to plan something for Marinette.

He would give her a chance, but he wanted to do it at his own pace.

Adrien also noticed how Nathaniel would look between Tiana and Marinette, who he was more frequently talking with now. That's a much bigger step than where their friendship had been at two weeks ago.

Adrien couldn't help but smile at knowing that at least things were getting better for his friends. If they could work through their own problems, he would get through his own.

No matter how much it hurt knowing he had to try to let go of his love for Ladybug.

* * *

Marinette was a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She really didn't know what to expect when they find Andre, if he would give her the same cone he's been for three years that always made her think of Adrien.

On one side, she hoped he would. But on the other, she was terrified if he would because of Adrien. She didn't want it to seem like she was that head over heels for him when he had just told her he needed time to figure out how he feels.

At the same time she was also terrified of what Andre would give Adrien. She wanted to know who this mystery girl was that broke his heart, but at the same time didn't want to know. She was stuck in between many things right now.

Would Adrien's cone represent this girl? Or even worse, the one she's been scared of for a few days now even though she knew that she wasn't interested in turn?

Why couldn't she be the one that Adrien wanted to do things like play video games with when he can't leave his house?

Marinette took a deep breath to steady herself and clear her mind. She can't start getting bitter, that will get her nowhere.

"Are we all about ready to go?" Nino asked as Marinette looked around at everyone, noticing everyone was finished with their food already when she hadn't been paying attention.

"Are you guys sure it's the Pont Des Arts?" Nathaniel asked from beside her, only for Nino to promptly put his phone in Nathaniel's face and prove himself.

Marinette giggled at Nathaniel's flustered look at Nino's need to show he was right. "Nino's tracked him down enough with Alya to know where he is, Nathaniel." Marinette assured him, smiling reassuringly at him so he wouldn't get too nervous about Nino.

"Here comes our waitress." Ivan spoke up just before their waitress walked up to the table with their checks.

When Marinette went to pull out her money, she was suddenly stopped by Adrien though. "I've got it, don't worry about it." Adrien assured her as he pulled out his own wallet.

"Wha...Adrien I can't let you-"

"Please, you know me Marinette. I've got it, think of it also as an apology for not taking you up on your idea yesterday." Adrien said before putting his bank card down on the check for the waitress.

"What happened yesterday?" Nathaniel asked from her other side with a confused expression.

Before Marinette could try to protest once more the waitress took the check, leaving her to sigh as Adrien got his way of taking care of the bill for both himself and her.

Why did he have to do that without really giving her a chance to defend her desire to pay for her own check?

After the waitress came back and they all tipped her they left to make their way to Andres, Marinette sticking beside Nathaniel this time once she had thanked Adrien for paying.

Even though she really wished he had not.

Instead, this time while they walked Tiana walked beside him since she now walked with Nathaniel, who was telling her how he's only had Andres ice cream once or twice before.

"It's been about a year or so I think." Nathaniel said with a shrug, Marinette chuckling at how he could only have it once or twice.

"But it's so good, and he's so nice. Every time I see him I sit with him while I eat and talk with him." Marinette revealed, as though it's been a few years she still felt bad for shutting down the magic of his ice cream all that time ago.

Plus Andre was just a genuinely warmhearted and friendly person. How could she not be nice enough to spend some time with him while she finished her ice cream that she had no one else to share with?

"There he is!" Nino suddenly shouted as they were walking, before he and Alya hurried off to the Pont Des Arts in the distance. He's always right when it comes to finding Andre.

"Look at them run." Nathaniel commented with a chuckle before Ivan and Mylène followed suit after Nino and Alya.

"Come on, let's go get some before a bigger crowd starts forming." Marinette said before hurrying along after the other four with Nathaniel.

"My name is André! André Glacé! The sweetheart matchmaker! With one scoop or two, I'll find love for you, with magical ice cream flavors!"

As they got onto the bridge she realized that Adrien and Tiana were still walking leisurely though, right behind them.

"Ah, Marinette!" Marinette turned to Andre upon hearing his happy call of her name, seeing him already grabbing a cone for her. "It 'as been so long! Are you 'ere today with someone to share?" Andre asked as she walked up to him with Nathaniel.

"Oh...I..." Before Marinette could say much more Andre rounded to his cart with a happy cry.

"It's so odd, this combination different from your rest. But I won't contest a young lovers quest. Blue moon color to match his stare, bright red strawberry to match his hair. And for him I shall give the same, may you treasure your beautiful young love flame." Andre sung as he made the cone before handing it to her.

Her jaw dropped at his song, in shock more by the fact that he just described the boy beside her instead of the boy he's been making her ice cream to represent for three years.

"But- Andre this can't..."

"Hush young girl, I know it's odd. Perhaps your last choice was a bit flawed? But now I see the true combination. Be sure to give him all your adoration." Andre said with a kind but for some reason knowing smile and a nod of his head.

Marinette was still just staring at him and the ice cream he had made when she heard all the whispers around her, looking to her side to see Nathaniel with his face lit up bright red to match his hair.

Did...did he really just give her an ice cream to share with Nathaniel? One that describes Nathaniel?!

Marinette didn't get another chance to protest before Andre moved on to the next pair. "Ah, is this a new face I do see? Come, have some sweethearts ice cream, you may find its your missing key." Andre sung and drew Tiana over to him next.

" _Ciao, Andre_." Tiana greeted him with a smile, and Andre immediately laughed happily as he grabbed a cone from his cart.

"Now I know you, you're the Granddaughter of my old friend. Come, grandchild of Bastien, let me find your ice cream blend." Andre continued to sing as Marinette just looked between her own ice cream, Nathaniel and Andre making one for Tiana.

"Ooh, will we finally figure out who your sweetheart is then, Tiana?" Alya asked teasingly from behind her and Nathaniel, Marinette not having realized she was there due to her shock over the combination he did for herself.

"French vanilla like his hair, my won't your relationship be quiet a flair. Green tea like his eyes, even when in disguise. But not done yet are we, for his lips a dash of rose pink. Quiet the man isn't he to make you double think. For you, _mia cara signora_." Andre sung before handing the ice cream cone to Tiana with a bow, grinning ear to ear at her.

" _Grazie mille, Andre_." Tiana replied as Marinette realized that two of those colors were what he would normally give her. Wait...is he implying...

"Young man, I believe it's your turn next. Please, I know your heart is quiet complex." Andre pulled Adrien up next and Marinette lost all focus on Tiana's ice cream as Andre moved back to his cart once again.

"It's nice to see you again." Adrien greeted Andre with a warm smile.

"My boy, your heart is so sad. I promise, this shall make it more glad." Andre rhymed with a soft grin at Adrien before grabbing a cone. "What's this, now a new combination for you too? Perhaps its because your heart needs less blue. Ah but for her hair, we find white vanilla snow. With her comfort and care she will help you leg go. Those eyes oh so bright, like the stars they are alight, deserve lemon custard for both will set you aglow." Andre sung on, before looking as though inspiration had struck him.

"But odd yet is this, for her eyes we also add this dash of bliss. A splash of blueberry, now go to her and be merry." Andre finished before handing the cone to Adrien and giving him a nudge towards Tiana.

That...she has no idea who that describes. It can't possibly be Tiana, her hair is black. And her eyes...

He did add a splash of blueberry, but that's not enough to make it about Tiana, right?

But who is this girl that Adrien cares for then?

Adrien too looked confused by the whole song that Andre sung, but took a scoop from his ice cream none the less and ate it.

"Dear Marinette, don't tell me you've lost faith in the ice creams magic." Andre suddenly said, looking to her as she realized he caught how she hadn't even tried a bite yet.

Hurriedly she too took a bite of her ice cream, eyes widening as it was actually spectacular. It was the best one he has made for her yes.

"There's the smile. Enjoy dear young lovers, may your time together be worthwhile." Andre sung once more before turning his attention to the new customers walking up and away from them.

Marinette was left to follow the rest of her friends as they walked away down the Pont Des Arts. Nathaniel still beside her was eating his ice cream that was identical to her own, but his face was still dusted pink from the whole situation.

Why would he make her a cone to share with Nathaniel? She was in love with Adrien, not him.

But looking up at Adrien as he walked in front of her with Tiana at his side, she noticed the happy smile as he ate and talked to Tiana in a teasing tone, vaguely catching something about Chat Noir.

Wait, is her cone to represent him and not Adrien? She hadn't even considered that, it must be Chat Noir! Blond hair and green eyes, that's Chat Noir to a tee.

But Marinette couldn't help the dread in her chest at knowing that she might have feelings for her partner. It was confusing, but she wanted to believe it was because she knew the danger that could come from her getting close to a hero like Chat.

"Okay, Lover Boy. If you're going to keep saying mine is for him, then who's your cone represent, huh?" Tiana asked, all of them stopping in their walk as she propped a hand on her hip with sass.

"Ooh I want to hear this too." Alya said as she leaned on Tiana from behind, letting Nino hold their shared ice cream.

"I have no idea. This is the first time he's made a cone like this for me." Adrien said with a shrug before licking his ice cream once again.

Tiana and Alya exchanged a look before Alya walked back over to Nino. "We'll find out soon, don't you worry." Alya teased him too as Marinette secretly hoped she was right. While she didn't want to know who he loved over her, she did want to know who could be so mean as to break his heart and give them a piece of her mind.

"I doubt that if there's nothing to find." Adrien said with a smirk at the two as they began walking once again.

Marinette went to take another lick of her ice cream when she noticed Tiana lean over Adrien, her eyes widening at her bold move of taking a taste of the lemon custard of his own cone.

"Well, whoever it is they have great taste." Tiana said as Alya, Mylène and Nino burst into laughter at her boldness.

Marinette only gawked more at them when Adrien in an equally bold move leaned over and stole a lick of her rose flavor, licking his lips before casting her a lazy smile. "I'll assume that Chat Noir too has good taste then." Adrien teased her right back, this time all of them bursting into laughter minus herself until she forced it to keep suspicion down on her.

While Marinette wanted to be more worried about the fact that both of them were so openly teasing and bold to each other, she could only think about the fact that they both just shared their sweetheart ice cream with one another.

The tale is whoever shares Andre's ice cream will fall in love forever, but does it count if they're not a couple?

Does that mean that Adrien will fall for Tiana, instead of for herself?

* * *

 **I'm actually quiet proud of myself for this one, because I typically suck at rhyming. Then again, I did cheat a little and had a rhyming dictionary open on my second monitor. But please tell me it turned out well, I enjoyed writing André so much and really worked hard on those singing bits there!**

 **There is a reason why I write stories over songs though. I'd probably be the worst song writer ever...**

 **But ooh la la, not only does André give Marinette an ice cream that describes Nathaniel, but it's to share with him too instead of Adrien. But that's not even the worst part for her there, no instead he gave Tiana the ice cream that should have gone to her. With the additive of French Vanilla for his hair.**

 **I feel though that in Marinette's world, that isn't even the worst part. Adrien's ice cream there isn't matching to his Ladybug anymore now is it? No, I wonder who that could be? I wish I knew how to add little emoticons and stuff into my writing here, I'd have little music notes dotting those André songs.**

 **But ooh, they each took a taste from the other's ice cream. I wonder what that could mean. Is love in the air at last?**

 **Anyways, I don't know if anyone's noticed but I took out the chapters that were just me ranting about the issues of this story getting flagged for mature. I like keeping things neat and tidy, but I will say that I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to stop posting, if anything I'm more encouraged than before to continue on because of those of you who have encouraged me through this nonsense.**

 **But the thing I must as now though is if any of you think I should continue updating both of these versions when they're both basically the exact same at this point. Honestly, I'm leaning more towards saying let's stick with the original and I'll continue updating this one so as to cut back on any confusion.**

 **But enough rambling. Thank you all so much for sticking around and for the encouragements to not give up! I promise, one person will not keep me from updating and I will continue to not only update on the Fanfict version but this one too will still get regular updates so long as my schedule doesn't conflict. I can't thank you all enough, but I'm going to go start on the next chapter. So I'll see you all next time!**


	31. Help You Let Go

Internally, Tiana had been freaking out a little bit when Andre gave her that cone. But she was able to control her emotions to mask them enough where she hoped that no one had noticed a thing.

Why had she been freaking out?

Oh, maybe it was because of the fact that Andre had mentioned her as the granddaughter of his friend. The same friend who many years back he had given a cone to as well.

To share with her Grandmother who Grandfather still loves but could not have.

Yes, she believed in the magic of his ice cream. She got to run around in disguise as a wolf neutral whenever she wanted, that right there was proof of magic enough.

But the combination is what threw her off. Because she knew for herself that her interests in who that cone described were nothing but platonic. Which was what terrified her because knowing Andre's ice cream magic, could that be a sign that things were about to change?

Honestly, she didn't want them to change. That was one of few things that could scare her. She didn't want to end up like Grandfather, separated from the one he loves and left in pain for decades.

Fortunately, her friends were good at distracting her from her mental turmoil. She had quiet a bit of fun poking fun at Nathaniel for the fact that his cone was exactly like Marinette's.

For the fact that Andre had made it for him to share with Marinette as well, which earned another heated embarrassed blush from her.

Though it did leave her a little confused, as she knew that his feelings didn't sway just one way. But is it possible he's starting to lean more towards Mari then to herself?

Tiana wouldn't blame him if they did. She's tried to see if she could feel anything for her friend, but so far she has not. That, coupled with her increasingly busy schedule, has made her start believing that she might not return how he feels.

But if he still cares about Marinette, and she decides to move on from Adrien, then maybe they could work out together.

Andre certainly thinks so, from the look of those cones.

Now though, that she was home and her friends gone, she was left to contemplate on the day and the ice cream that Andre had given her.

It did help a little though upon hearing Adrien say he had no clue who his cone was meant to represent. Maybe that meant Andre was a little off today and that her cone would have no effect on anything.

Almost as soon as she walked into her bedroom, a knock on her balcony door caught her attention.

Really, this soon? It's hardly past sun down.

Walking over, Tiana opened the door for the only person who enters through them. " _Bonsoir, ma belle_." Chat greeted as soon as he slipped inside, smiling warmly at her.

His bright green eyes reminded her once more of the green tea ice cream on her cone.

" _Bonsoir_." Tiana greeted him in turn, closing the balcony doors behind him as she could practically feel his green eyed stare on her skin.

"I have a story for you. I was out around town today and heard you went and got sweetheart ice cream. Imagine my surprise upon hearing what kind he made." Tiana didn't bother to restrain the groan at the cheeky smile he held.

Walking away from him, she sat down on her couch that was still facing the TV from yesterday instead of the balcony doors like it would before.

"Oh, no need for being embarrassed _ma belle_." Chat said as he followed after her. As if she didn't get enough of this from Adrien earlier... "I can't really blame you, I mean I am the cat's meow." Chat said as he stood beside the couch and flexed his biceps cockily.

Tiana just looked back at him as he grinned proudly while flexing, shaking her head at his pride. "Sure, Knight in Kitty Armor." Tiana said sarcastically before he jumped over the arm rest on the couch and took a seat beside her.

"Oh come now, don't be this way. I'm only here for a few minutes, let me see you smile." Chat said as his grin faded from pride into genuine warmth.

Tiana couldn't help but chuckle at his mannerisms, which in turn earned a laugh from him. "So is that all that brought you to me today, a hope that my ice cream was about you?" Tiana asked as Chat leaned closer into her space.

"Purrhaps I just wanted to see you, _bellissima_." Chat purred, Tiana just staring at him for a moment at the last word that left his mouth. Heat rose to her face as he just grinned at her.

"Oh you flirt." Tiana muttered, looking away as she tried to wipe her mind of how natural that one Italian word sounded from his lips.

Chat's shoulders rose and fell in a shrug in the corner of her vision. "Well, I wanted to see you before I start my pawtrol tonight, Tiana. If you'd like me to go-"

Chat cut short when there was a bang from behind them, Tiana turning in time to duck as King flew over the back of the couch and landed on the cushion beside her.

Chat sighed beside her as King, or Verro in disguise, growled at him.

"Your dog doesn't seem to like me." Chat pointed out with annoyance obvious in his tone.

"Don't take it to heart. He's trained not to like random men who show up in my room." Tiana said with a teasing smile his way, but his own amusement didn't return to his eyes this time.

"I should go start my patrol, _ma belle_. I'll see you another time." Chat said before rising from the couch. What's wrong? He was happy and energetic a second ago and now he looks like a wet kitten.

Tiana barely let him click his clawed fingers on the handle of her balcony doors when she leaned on the metal and glass door to prevent him from opening it. "For future reference, even if he doesn't like you in here it doesn't mean I don't." Tiana said as she forced herself to keep her gaze on his somber green eyes, noticing the way they glinted with slight curiosity at her before the smallest of a smile formed on his pink lips.

Ugh, great so that's another thing that reminds her of the ice cream cone. It can't be true, can it?

"I know you do, _ma belle_. Otherwise you wouldn't be blushing like you are right now." Tiana flinched when one of his clawed fingers came up to graze her cheek, feeling bad a second later for flinching as he immediately retracted his hand. "I'm so-"

"Don't. I just... you caught me off guard." Tiana stopped him before he could try to apologize for his touch. He looked down for half a second before back up at her.

" _Mon cher_ , can I ask you something?" Chat asked in a quieter tone than she's used to.

"Sure, Chat Noir." Tiana replied, wondering if this had to do with what put him in such a somber mood.

"Do you think I should just...back away from my Lady? She already has someone else she loves, and right now I'm just feeling..." Chat cut short when she wrapped him in a hug, his arms immediately circling around her waist.

He looked so absolutely heartbroken just having to say it aloud. No one deserves the pain of loving someone whom they can't have, not even him if they weren't even supposed to be having anything to do with one another due to her own alter ego.

"If she hurts you so much, then you have to decide for yourself if it is truly worth it to continue waiting and hoping." Tiana said as Chat nuzzled his nose into her shoulder, his arms holding her a little tighter even if it were possible.

They stayed like that for another minute until the sound of beeping from his back drew him away, watching as he checked his staff for a second before returning it to its spot.

"That's my timer to tell me to get back to work. I...thank you, Tiana. For letting me talk when it feels like she'll never fully listen." Chat said before taking a step to her side.

His movements froze for a second as he went to open the door before he turned to her and took her right hand in both of his own. With a bow, he pressed his lips to the back of her hand before he opened the balcony doors and escaped.

Tiana just stared after him as she felt her heart race against her rib cage long after he disappeared into the night.

"I can hear your heart rate from here." Tiana whipped around to face the still in disguise Kwami as he sat on her couch.

"Leave King alone, we're going on the prowl." Tiana said and without giving him a chance to protest headed for the door to go down to the bunker.

Thirty minutes later she was out bounding through the city, keeping an eye out for any sign of the cat that had visited her home.

On one side, she wanted to see him to make sure he was alright. With how hurt he looked, she couldn't suppress the empathy side of her. But on the other, she was still scared of what Andre might have predicted. That she might grow soft for the cat and end up having some one sided attraction to him that she knew would never be anymore than that because of Ladybug.

Even if he was considering standing down from trying to swoon her, if it's love it won't ever go away no matter what happens. Grandfather has proven that to her.

Rogue bounded from roof to roof before noticing that the bank she had tagged all those weeks ago had finally gotten rid of her tag. Well that won't do at all.

Anchoring herself into the roof, she repelled down the side of the building once again before pulling one of the little spray paint cans from her belt.

Pulling her goggles down over her eyes, she began repainting the brick of the building with her paw print mark.

"I thought we talked about not causing anymore trouble." Rogue heard that familiar voice once again but continued spraying until the brick was once more stained black with her mark.

"No, I said I couldn't promise that. You should listen to my words a little closer." Rogue said before looking up to see him perched on the roof right where she had her zip line anchored in at.

"You know I can't just let this go." Chat reminded her as she dropped the now empty paint canister to the ground far below.

With a smirk up at him, another zip line shot from her belt and anchored into another building. "I'm aware of that, and I wouldn't expect you to, Hero." Rogue said before the anchored zip line beneath his feet retracted and she soared through the sky away from him.

Even with how heartbroken he looked earlier, at least he still has the spirit to try to chase her down for tagging a building.

* * *

Chat landed on the metal platform of the Eiffel Tower seconds after Rogue wolf landed gracefully on it, smirking at her as he was getting better at keeping pace with her.

"Well I don't know why you chased me down, it's not like I stole anything." Rogue teased with a smirk of her own at him and her hands propped on her hips.

Chat watched as she reached up with her goggles and pushed the goggles away from her golden eyes. Golden...wait a second...

Hair like white vanilla snow and lemon custard to match bright eyes. Golden like lemon custard? No, that can't possibly be right, there's no way he was talking about Rogue Wolf.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Rogue asked as he shook his head, looking away from her as it can't possibly be right.

He hardly knows anything about Rogue aside from her past as the General Wolf. He's only barely just started associating with her outside of her causing trouble around their city.

"You know they just finished cleaning that off after the last time you tagged their building." Chat pointed out as he kept his eyes off of her and instead on the city around them, lit up in the night much like the stars above.

The stars that alight just like Rogue's golden gaze? No, is it possible Andre was wrong? All these years he's been giving him ice cream that made him think of Ladybug, and now just out of nowhere he changes what he gives him?

He couldn't deny, it was amazing and he loved the flavor combinations. But considering he was with friends he hadn't really had time to think on why it was different. That, and he was enjoying teasing Tiana too much about her own cone.

"Well that was their mistake in removing it then." Rogue said before he heard a thump, looking back her way to see her now laying down on the metal platform like she usually does.

She can't honestly think he's going to just hang out with her when she just committed a crime, can she? He had a job to do, a city to protect from her.

"What are you doing?" Chat asked as he just stared at her stretched out on the ground.

"Looking out at your city, hero. What, you can't sit and enjoy the night?" Rogue asked with a smirk cast his way. But even with the smirk, she still clicked her clawed index finger on the ground beside her to try to beckon him over.

"You just-"

"Stop whining and sit, kitty cat."

Rogue reached up and snatched him by his belt, dragging him down to the ground and leaving him only to yelp in surprise at her quickness and strength.

Once his knees touched the metal of the platform she let go of him and leaned back with her hands against the metal.

"Rogue, I'm not going to just condone your crimes." Chat said which one earned him a lazy flick of her eyes his way before she turned her attention back to the city.

Really? She's just going to ignore what he's saying?

"How about you forget that and tell me why you look like a kicked kitten. You can chase me all you want when you're not looking like you just want to hide somewhere." Rogue said as she looked back at him at last, his breath catching in his throat involuntarily as the faint moonlight caught in her golden gaze.

Alight like the stars.

Was it really so obvious that he was as hurt and confused as he felt right now?

"Let me guess, is it Little Red again?" Rogue asked, Chat shrinking into himself just at the mention of her right now. "She didn't seem too worried the other day when that building fell on all of us, something new happen?" Chat hadn't realized but she was right, she ended up being the one helping him out of the rubble. Not Ladybug.

"Why did you help me out of there when you knew she was watching?" Chat asked, Rogue snickering a little beside him as he glared weakly at her for laughing at what wasn't very pleasant for him.

"Because I fell on top of you, albeit in a different layer of rubble." Rogue said as he looked away from her again. "So, tell me then. What's happened now that you're so glum?" Rogue asked as he sighed before looking back in her direction.

"I'm starting to consider if it is better if I just move on from my lady, since she's made it clear she won't love me back if she still loves that boy after years." Chat nearly snarled the latter half of his sentence, not wanting to think about the person that is better than he himself in Ladybug's eyes.

Rogue was silent beside him for about a minute before sitting up a little. "If that's what you feel like you need or want to do then by all means. But is that what you really want, Chaton?" Chat glared at her for the nickname, she knew that Ladybug called him that specifically and she willingly chose to use it right now.

His glare didn't last long though at seeing she wasn't holding that usual taunting glint in her eyes or the teasing crook of her lips to one side. He sighed and looked away from her. "I really don't know. I'm going to try, because it's better than just sitting and beating myself up and enduring this pain. But it's also going to hurt just as much as her telling me she doesn't love me." Chat explained as he searched the city around them for any sign of his lady.

"If that's what you want, just put it in the perspective of your mind that it's her own loss. But you can't really be mad at her for loving someone else, no one chooses who they fall for really." Chat looked back at her at her words of wisdom that made her sound much older than she actually was. "Besides, you never know if you back away from trying to swoon her if you might find someone else who makes you fall harder than she did." Rogue continued, Chat snorting at her words immediately at the idea that he could fall for anyone harder than he has for Ladybug.

"Your sense of humor is hilarious, Wolf." Chat replied to that comment, dodging when she went to shove his shoulder for it.

He didn't want to think about it at that moment, but his eyes met her golden ones and he once again thought about Andre's words. About the girl who's hair was white vanilla snow that would help him let go.

That's what she's trying to do right now, isn't it? But, this is Rogue Wolf. The girl who told him the story of the Wolf and the Dragon and likely is too afraid for any relationships like that due to it.

He didn't want another one sided attraction, Andre couldn't be right this time.

"If you keep staring at me like that, I'm going to start assuming things." Rogue broke him from his thoughts with that teasing comment, looking away from her once again as she started laughing beside him.

"You can assume things all you want, it won't make them true." Chat quipped back, before feeling his staff leave his back and lunging at her when she jumped up and moved away with his staff.

Unfortunately, his foot caught on the ground as he went to stand to chase after her to get his staff back. With a yelp, he fell forward and slammed Rogue back down to the ground with him, both of them groaning as he cursed his black cat luck.

"Klutz." Rogue growled beneath him, Chat taking advantage of the fact that she was pinned beneath him to reach up and take his staff back from her fingers, meeting her golden gaze once again as she turned her head to the side to look at him.

"Maybe if you didn't have sticky fingers and tried to take my staff, this wouldn't have happened." Chat pointed out with a smirk down at her, earning an eye roll that only served to make him snicker at her predicament of being stuck until he chooses to move.

"Well, maybe it was a distraction once again." Rogue chirped back at him after a second with a smirk right back at him, Chat sighing as of course she was trying to distract him yet again. That's her go to for keeping him from thinking about the pain that is his current life.

"You offered to talk to me, so instead of that just talk. Please." Chat said before rolling off of her, sitting up on his knees and putting his staff back in it's place on his lower back. "I know you're probably not the type to have issues like this in your life, considering how you react to that story about the Wolf and the Dragon, but at least give me your real opinion instead of telling me if it's what I feel like I should do then I should do it. Or tease me and say I'll fall for someone else." Chat said as he stood up and moved back to his spot near the edge of the balcony.

"Kitten, I hardly know you. I will choose to ignore the comment about the old Wolf, but I do lend an ear for you to talk to. My opinions though, I'd rather not say as since I hardly know you it wouldn't be exactly helpful. You might act on my own advice instead of what your heart tells you instead." Rogue said as he just looked at her and the way she stared out at the city instead of at him as she spoke.

"I wouldn't choose your words over my own heart Rogue, trust me." Chat said which got her to look at him once more. "Right now, I feel more like some obnoxious cat that bothers you in the night because every time I've seen you recently I'm bothered by this. At least if you talk too, it feels more balanced." Chat said before noticing the way her golden gaze took a thoughtful glint.

"I don't have issues in my own life currently. Typically everything is sorted quick and the more major things pushed to the back of my mind." Rogue said with a shrug.

"I wish my life was so simple." Chat muttered bitterly, earning a bump of Rogue's shoulder against his own.

"I didn't say my life was simple though. It's anything but. I'm just fortunate to have friends to distract me and keep me, at least for a little while, away from the badness." Rogue said as he watched her for a moment and noticed the way her gaze hardened at the mention of the bad. It lasted mere seconds before returning to her usual chill golden gaze.

Was that what she does, mask everything to the world and try to forget for the brief time she's allotted?

"Well, you're very lucky to have friends so helpful then, Rogue." Chat said which earned another nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. "But I hope you realize that, coming from someone who also does it, you can't hide how you're really feeling behind a mask to me." Chat advised her which earned him this time a surprised flicker of her golden gaze to him.

"What are you-"

"Don't try to tell me otherwise."

Chat smiled at her for a second and with a chuckle looked away. Maybe they weren't so different, where they fell on points of the law aside. Yes he had his friends to help him keep distracted, and he typically masks his pain to the many eyes that watch him as both Adrien and Chat.

But it still won't change that he doesn't want to love in vain again, Andre's prediction can't come true if it was indicating her.

"You know, for a charming flirt of a cat you are pretty smart." Rogue spoke up after a few minutes silence, catching him off guard with the odd compliment.

"Well thank you. I am quiet charming, and handsome..." Chat flexed his arms as Rogue rolled her eyes at him, smiling at her when she still smiled none the less at him. "All amazing qualities you should appreciate and desire." Chat continued with a purr of his words, leaning closer to her with a wink.

"Sure, whatever you say kitty cat. Just remember next time I tease you about your cheesy flirting that this is why I'm doing so." Rogue quipped back at him, Chat chuckling softly at her warning.

"Nothing about me is cheesy, wolfie. I'm pretty clawsome, if I do say so myself." Chat said and smiled a little wider when she laughed openly at his puns. If only more girls appreciated it like her.

"Oh pawlease." Chat felt his heart skip as she threw a pun right back at him. It's been a while since she's bantered with him using them. "While it's nice to see you're feline better, you're kitten yourself if you think nothing is cheesy about you." Rogue purred right back at him and sent a wink of her own his way.

Chat smiled at her, for the first time feeling like he could forget about Ladybug for a just a little while as long as he could goof around with a neutral he hadn't realized had a lot more in common to him than he originally thought.

"Oh really?" Chat asked, looking down as Rogue poked him in the shoulder with a clawed finger.

"You're so cheesy, the Mouse Kwami would be all over you." Rogue teased as he held back the desire to point out his own was the one that obsessed over cheese.

"Well, you choose to hang out with this handsome cat, purretty wolfie." Chat purred back, his smile turning into a smirk as she immediately retracted her hand from his shoulder at the compliment.

"Flirt." Rogue muttered, Chat snickering at her reaction before bursting into laughter.

"If you can't handle it, then don't tease me about it." Chat retorted through his laughter, leaning back as he laughed at her.

"Really? Kitty cat, I could have you purring instead of laughing in seconds, your cheesy flirting has no effect on me." Rogue replied and he just continued laughing at her.

"Sure you could." Chat said as he held his sides, his laughter making them begin to ache. It's been a while since he laughed so hard his sides started to hurt.

As he gripped his side, one of his hands was suddenly pulled away. Looking to Rogue, his vision swam with her golden gaze once more as she leaned into his space.

He was brought back to earlier when he went to graze Tiana's cheek, but unlike her he didn't flinch when Rogue's fingers brushed away a tuft of stray hair from his forehead and her cold claws grazed down his cheek.

Her touch left a trail of heat behind even if her claw was cold, Chat faintly aware of the fact that he could hear his heart pounding loudly to match the thump it made against his chest.

Her hand moved up to his hair as he was left immobile, only to watch what it was she was up to. But her glowing golden eyes held no hints as to what she was up to, only amusement.

His body, which he hadn't realized until then had been tense, relaxed as her fingers carded through his hair. Her claws dragged pleasantly across his scalp as his eyes fluttered, trying to keep them open but it felt much better than it should have.

Rogue giggled quietly in front of him as her other hand rested on his bicep, continuing to stroke his hair as though he were a real cat. His head rolled to one side and met her shoulder as he felt his chest start to buzz again with pleasure.

Why does it have to feel so good?

"That's a good kitty." His eyes snapped open at her words, locking with her amused gaze as he felt his face flare up in a blush.

When he went to pull away, her fingers pressed against his cat ear and a louder than usual purr burst from his lips. Snapping a hand over his mouth in horror, Rogue burst into laughter and fell to her side beside him in hysterics.

Why, why, why did she have to touch his dang cat ears.

Chat pulled away from her with a hand still covering his mouth, Rogue too busy rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter to even notice.

"Don't- don't leave Kitty!" Rogue barked through her laughter, rolling onto her stomach as he stood up to try to escape the horrifyingly embarrassing moment that just took place.

" _Bonne nuit_ , Rogue Wolf." Chat said as he pulled his staff from his lower back again, extending it before he was grabbed by the tail and dragged back to the ground with a thud.

"Oh come on! You started it, don't be a kill joy!" Rogue said as she knocked his staff away from his hands. Scrambling for it, she twisted his tail around her hand and yanked him back to her as she was still laughing slightly.

"Rogue-"

"Come on, if you can't laugh at yourself then what can you laugh at?" Rogue asked with a grin at him, and while he still wanted to run to try to forget the embarrassing noise that left his mouth he couldn't help but soften at how much amusement she got out of his actions.

Sighing, he let himself lean back again on the ground beside her.

"Well, we know that you're the king of cheese and I'm better at flirting than you now. So victory is Rogue Wolf's once again tonight!" Rogue chimed beside him as he just enjoyed how happy she seemed right then. Golden eyes glowing with amusement as she smirked his way at her words and flashed those pearly whites at him.

"That wasn't flirting. That was taking advantage of my cat like mannerisms." Chat countered as Rogue still snickered beside him.

"Oh as if you wouldn't do the same to me. Just admit my victory, kitty." Rogue said but instead, a devious grin wormed it's way to his lips as an idea struck him. "Why are you smiling like that?" Rogue asked, her laughter finally subsiding as he just grinned at her.

Chat reached over and tousled her own hair, and she must have realized what he was up to because she went to jump up to escape from him. But considering she got away with doing it to him, he wouldn't let her escape.

Grabbing her own tail this time, he dragged her right back down and it ended up turning into an all out wrestling match to try to subdue her so he could have his vengeance.

Once he managed to pin her, yet again, he found her wolf ear and began rubbing it. Which in turn led her to go limp against him. Sadly, she's not a cat miraculous holder, so no purring from her.

"Karma." Chat purred to her instead, earning a roll of her golden eyes as he smirked down at her. "Purretty wolf, haven't you realized karma bites back harder than I would?" Chat asked as he let go of her wolf ear, earning a snicker for the pun slash compliment.

Falling to his side beside her, he continued to enjoy his time with so far the only girl that enjoys his punny sense of humor.

* * *

 **Ooh, putting two and two together? But still blind as bats and unwilling. Oh well, they'll find out soon enough that they're in for a wild ride.**

 **Real quick, I don't know if it was clear enough before this chapter but how many people actually remembered that Rogue Wolf's hair was white? I hadn't really thought about it while writing the last chapter, but I knew I described it at one point or another that her hair was white and eyes golden.**

 **The little tussling moments between Chat and Rogue were so fluffy. Just giving him some relief from the mind torture that he does to himself over Ladybug is so cute. But maybe he'll remember that he can lean on Rogue to help him forget. Or even Tiana, considering the fact that she went out of her way to follow after him when he left to distract him. Albeit without him knowing it was really her.**

 **I'm going to say this now so I have it somewhere. I may or may not update Wednesday. Depending on how quick I get the chapter written down. I'm currently waiting for test results for that job I applied for and was given a vague range of when to expect my results. I'll try to get the next chapter written before then, but I don't want to rush because I feel like that messes up the story.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! For still reading even past thirty chapters now! I will see you all next chapter!**


	32. Nothing But Happiness

Adrien noticed the way Marinette kept glancing between himself and Tiana, the worried gnawing she did at her lip before she would turn away.

He didn't understand why she was being like this now. If she had anything to say to him or her she should just say it. But he had a feeling it was her too thinking he had a thing for Tiana like Nino thought.

Thinking on it, letting Tiana try his ice cream and then doing the same right back to her was not the smartest idea. Especially considering the fact that the legend is whomever shares Andres ice cream will be together forever.

For trying to give Mari a chance, he had let his teasing get the better of him and probably messed up his chances a lot more.

From the looks of Tiana and Nathaniel, it seemed like he wasn't too effected by it at least. Or maybe he was hiding how he really feels...

By lunch, they all agreed to eat together at the school instead of go out somewhere like usual. Sitting beside Marinette as they waited for the rest to join them with their lunches, he noticed she was sketching on her notebook.

"Is that a new dress you want to make?" Adrien asked, smiling at her when she looked up at him in surprise.

"I...don't know yet. I like it but I don't. It's missing something." Marinette explained as he watched her close the notebook on the page.

"You'll figure it out. You're an amazing designer, Mari." Adrien reminded and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Can I ask you a question?" Marinette asked as he pulled his hand away and reached for his thermos to take a drink.

"Of course." Adrien said before taking a big swig of his tea.

"That girl that hurt you, is that who your ice cream yesterday was for?" Marinette asked, and he nearly spit his tea out at the question as he wasn't expecting to be asked about Ladybug at that moment.

Forcing himself to swallow his drink instead of spray the table in front of them with it, he looked to her to see a soft look in her bluebell eyes. Frowning, he shook his head. "No, I have no idea what Andre was doing yesterday. It's never been that before. I'm both glad he didn't and confused by the whole thing." Adrien explained with a shrug of his shoulders.

After how late he was out last night with Rogue Wolf, his suspicions were targeting her solely as the one Andre meant. He thought long enough about it to realize he knew of no one else who had white hair and golden eyes.

"Glad? You don't want one about the girl anymore?" Marinette asked with a confused tilt of her head.

Chuckling softly at how cute her mannerisms could be, he turned his attention back to his drink. "Not really. I'm trying not to think about her right now unless I really have to. I'm trying to give myself a chance to move on after all this time." Adrien said before noticing their friends in the distance, Alya piggy backing on Nino while Tiana was near a locker whispering to Nathaniel.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought her up then." Marinette apologized as he looked back at her, patting her arm to try to assure that it was fine.

"It's fine, you didn't know. I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, I only really decided on it yesterday and we were all too busy having fun." Adrien said as Nino walked over to them, Alya jumping off of him and sitting down at their table first with a big smile.

Nathaniel and Tiana joined them a minute later, Adrien noticing right away the fact that Nathaniel was a little quieter than he's been since joining their little group. He also noticed the way his eyes kept flickering towards Marinette every so often.

"So you have rehearsals after school today then?" Marinette asked Tiana as Tiana herself was eating her lunch.

"Yes, even though there isn't anyone cast as Beast yet since Mother's still recasting." Tiana revealed, Marinette covering her mouth to suppress a squeal.

"Girl come on, did he really quit or did he get fired for attacking the writer when he was Akumatized?" Alya asked, in her usual reporter needs to know way.

"Alya-"

"You really expect me to believe he would quit when he got so deep into character he became the beast?" Alya asked with a knowing smirk now cast on Tiana.

"He was embarrassed." Tiana said before focusing on her food, obviously trying to ignore Alya when she just laughed disbelievingly at her words.

Frowning, Adrien nudged her calf under the table with his own. Her eyes shot up to him for a second and he sent her a smile, hoping she knew he was trying to make sure she was actually alright with all that's happened.

She knew it wasn't her fault it happened, but even if he's not in costume he's still going to try to make sure she's alright in his own different way.

Tiana sent him only a fraction of the usual smile she would before turning her attention back to her lunch, Adrien holding back the urge to frown at the obvious fact that she was still bothered by the whole situation.

"What are you drawing, Marinette?" Nathaniel asked, Adrien deciding to just focus on right now and talk to Tiana later.

"Huh?" Marinette looked up as Adrien realized she had yet again been working on her design while they had been distracted by Alya pestering Tiana.

"She's working on a new design." Adrien revealed, watching as Nathaniel looked at Marinette notebook a little closer from his spot across the table from her before Marinette closed it in embarrassment once again.

"It's not going so well. I'm feeling like something is missing." Marinette said as she glared down at the notebook beneath her hands for half a second before going back to eating her lunch.

"Girl you've had this happen plenty of times before. You'll glare at the design for a few days then have an epiphany and it'll be perfect again." Alya said with a smirk at Marinette when Mari glared weakly at her.

"Why not ask Nathaniel to help you? He designs the costumes for his characters in his comics." Tiana said without looking up from her own food, Adrien stifling a snicker when Nathaniel looked at her in horror for her obviously offhand comment.

"No offense, but it's a little different designing something three dimensional that I'll end up making later on." Marinette said before her posture loosened a little and she slid the notebook over to Nathaniel. "I'm trying for something formal." Marinette said as Nathaniel, with red cheeks, opened the notebook.

While they talked about the dress design, Adrien noticed how Marinette perked up a little more with talking to Nathaniel. It made him feel a little better for both of them in that they were finally getting over the whole situation years ago of when Nathaniel's feelings were revealed before he got Akumatized.

When Marinette's gaze strayed towards him, he smiled at her which earned a blush before she looked back down at her notebook.

Snickering to himself, he picked his thermos up and took another drink. Maybe he should see if she'd like to go somewhere after school? Prove that he really will give her a chance even though he's sure that she probably thinks he's got a thing for Tiana.

Glancing at the girl that's quickly become one of his closest friends, he caught her gaze instead when he hadn't expected her to be watching him back. Looking away, out of the corner of his eye he noticed as she looked back at Marinette and Nathaniel.

He'd talk to her later about why she's being so unusually quiet.

When lunch was coming to an end, he caught Marinette before she could leave with the rest of the group.

"Would you like to go somewhere after school today? You can choose." Adrien offered as he caught her near their lockers.

He felt bad a second later when she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He hadn't meant to catch her off guard like that.

"Are you asking me to hang out as friends, or-" Marinette trailed off and shifted her gaze towards their classroom door and away from him.

"I'm asking as friends this time, but I'm trying to give you a chance to see if there could be more." Adrien said, noticing the way Marinette's face gradually turned red as seconds passed.

It was adorable how easily she could get flustered.

"I...I can't today." What?

Did...did she just turn him down?

"Is this because of the thing yesterday with Tiana?" Adrien asked, which earned another startled look in response.

"No, of course not. I just...you just told me that you're giving yourself time to get over that girl. I don't want to feel like just a rebound girl." Marinette explained and the way she said it made him feel like a lowly man for coming across that way.

"Mari you would never be a rebound girl." Adrien said as he frowned at how she could even think he'd do something like that to her.

"I know." Marinette said as she rubbed her arm shyly. "You just need time to get over her, and I don't want you to do something because you feel bad for hurting my feelings when you found out. You're too much of a gentleman to ever treat a girl like that." Marinette reminded him as he sighed through his nose.

He went to open his mouth to say more, but the warning bell rang.

"We should go so we aren't late. If you want, we can finish this after school." Marinette offered, and with a smile that he knew didn't quiet reach his eyes and a nod he followed her to class.

He was definitely going to finish this talk with her later. He didn't want her to believe that he was doing what he was because he felt bad for her. He genuinely liked spending time with her, he's told her that too.

Maybe he should try talking to her later on, let Chat talk to her and see if she says more to him than she will to him as Adrien. It feels shady, but he wants to at least have her hear from two somewhat separate sources that she is no rebound girl and is such a wonderful girl.

It has been quiet a while since last he talked to her as Chat. Usually when he's out as Chat, he very rarely ever sees her. That, or he's distracted by Ladybug or an Akuma that he doesn't even think to go check on Marinette.

He'll have to make sure to keep Rogue Wolf at bay if she pops up tonight so he can go see Marinette.

* * *

Marinette sighed, scratching out the work she had done on the fifth attempt at an alternate design for the dress. Why was she having so much trouble with this design?

Yes, she has had trouble before with ideas for some of her designs. But right now it feels like there's just something keeping her from being satisfied with whatever she does to make the design perfect.

Dropping her pencil, she let her notebook rest on her lap as she looked out at the city. She even came up to her balcony just to see if the night air and the beautiful city around her would help.

But it did not.

Her thoughts left her design notebook though when she saw movement on the rooftops, knowing immediately that it was her partner. Why was he coming her way?

Marinette stood up when he landed on the railing of her balcony, flashing her his usual charming smile as he perched on the metal railing. " _Bonsoir_ , Purrincess. It's been a while since I've seen you." Chat mused as he stayed perched on the railing.

It has been a while since she's seen him as herself instead of as Ladybug, come to think of it.

Ignoring the purring princess pun, she smiled at him as he moved off of the railing. "It has. I've been busy and from what I've seen on the news, you and Ladybug have been too." Marinette commented which earned a snort from him as he continued smiling at her.

"From the news, or your friends Ladyblog?" Chat asked, and Marinette couldn't help a little chuckle of her own since Alya did usually have the stories up before even the nightly news.

They stood there in silence for a moment as she noticed Chat looking down at her notebook, but what she was more interested in was the fact that he looked more relaxed than he had last time she saw him. Then again, it could be because she as Ladybug isn't there.

She's meant to talk to him, to apologize for how she treated him and for callously shutting down how he's been feeling. But she hasn't had time nor the chance to yet. If he hadn't come over to her balcony tonight, she might have transformed to go talk to him.

But he's here now, so she can't really do it now.

"How have you been, Marinette? I heard some rumors that you've been having a not so good time recently." Chat said as he looked up from her notebook, a sympathetic look in his bright green eyes that made her think of Adrien.

Looking away, she sat back down in her chair she had been in before he showed up.

She didn't want to tell him really, because he had his own issues and she didn't like to bother him. Granted, she was the cause of those issues. But she didn't want to bother him.

When Chat crouched down beside her though, she decided she might as well tell him though. "I've been fine. It's just some love life drama. It's nothing that anyone else hasn't dealt with before, but I'll be fine." Marinette assured, hoping that her words would be true for herself.

Yes, she had turned Adrien down earlier in the day for the idea of going out. They were supposed to talk about it, but he never got back to her with it after school. He probably had things to do with his Father.

She had to keep reminding herself that she made the right choice, because she didn't want to feel like a rebound. Because he needed more time to get over that mystery girl. But at the same time she kept mentally berating herself for turning down the opportunity to see if he could feel the same way for her that she does for him.

"Care to tell me about it? I'm all ears." Chat said as he wiggled his cat ears atop his head, Marinette giggling quietly at him as he smiled back at her.

"My friend asked me if I wanted to go do something after school today. I turned him down because I don't want him to feel like he has to just because he knows how I feel about him." Marinette explained quietly, noticing the somber look that replaced Chat's happiness.

"I'm sure that's not why he would ask you to spend time with him, Purrincess. He's probably aware much like I am that you're a lovely girl who deserves to be given a chance and spend some time having fun together." Chat said as he looked away, but Marinette couldn't help but frown at how somber he looked.

Why did he look so sad?

"Chat are you alright?" Marinette asked instead of continuing the conversation about herself and her love dilemma with Adrien.

He looked surprised at first when she changed the subject before flashing her another somber smile. "I'm fine, Marinette. It's just been...a long couple of weeks." Chat said with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders. "I'm not important here, have you explained to this boy why you chose to turn him down?" Chat asked, laying his arm over his bent knee as he tried to mask his sorrow.

It's not so easy to hide from her though. She's been around him three years, he's one of her closest friends in the whole world even if he doesn't know it. Even if he's upset with her because of her unneeded mistrust of him over Rogue Wolf or the fact that she turned him down for a boy that doesn't even return her feelings.

Why did she have to let her suspicions get the best of her?

"We didn't get much of a chance to finish our discussion, we had to go back to class. We were supposed to talk about it after school, but I figured he's probably busy." Marinette said first before she would delve into the fact that he's important too and not just herself.

"A text doesn't hurt. It gives plenty of time to reply even if the persons busy. But he's a lucky boy though that you're willing to put aside how your feeling to make sure that he's making these choices for the right reasons." Chat said with his usual charming smile once more masking the pain that she knew was there.

"Chat you're important too, you know." Marinette said, waiting to see if the mask would break but it held firm this time as he just smiled back at her. "If you want to talk about what's bothering you, you can tell me. Is it about Ladybug?" That did it, the mask cracked as his happy green gaze turned sad just at the mention of her alter ego.

Does she really have that much of an effect on Chat? How has she never noticed it before just how much he's effected by her? Now she feels like a horrible human being at knowing that she's the main cause of his pain because of her irrational suspicions.

Add that guilt to the guilt she feels over turning Adrien down when he was probably just wanting to be nice.

"If you don't mind, Purrincess, I'd really rather not talk about it. It's easier to just...forget about it for the time being while I try to get over her." Get over her? He's trying to get over her? But...he's felt this way the last three years, hasn't he?

"You're trying to get over her? But I thought you loved her?" Marinette said before she even realized what she was saying, feeling embarrassed and bad upon noticing the way Chat looked like he'd been kicked just at the reminder.

"I do, but she doesn't love me. I can't keep tormenting myself over her. She already has someone who she obviously loves if she's still with him three years later." Chat muttered the latter half of his sentence, Marinette frowning as she wished that were true but it really wasn't.

Adrien was trying for her, but at the same time she couldn't help but worry if he really should. If he really did care about her the way she did about him, would he really have to try so hard to get over one girl just for her? Should she really expect him to if he cares more about that other girl? Isn't the right thing that he's happy too?

"I'm sorry, Chat." Marinette said as she felt her eyes burn with the desire to cry. Rubbing them briefly, she noticed as he looked to her in confusion. "You really don't deserve all the heartache." Marinette said as his gaze turned sympathetic instead of sad.

"Hey don't-"

"I'm not, I'm fine." Marinette assured him by patting his upper arm, but he didn't seem convinced that she wasn't going to cry. "You deserve someone that will treat you so much better than she has recently. That can give you as much love as you are willing to give, Chat. She doesn't deserve you." Marinette said before she was suddenly enveloped in his arms, her nose pressing into his shoulder before the dam burst at last.

Silent tears flowed onto his leather suit as he held her, truly believing she didn't deserve him in her life. He was one of her closest friends in the world and she's hurt him so badly, never even gave him a chance because she so desperately hoped that she would be with Adrien.

He's been nothing but patient and caring and by her side all this time. And she was the one who betrayed his trust, not him. She didn't trust that he would stay loyal to her against that wolf. She didn't believe that his feelings were still genuine after all this time.

She broke his heart, when he deserved as much love as he's given not just to her but the world in general.

Her fists balled against his chest as he rubbed a hand down her back to try to sooth her, biting her lower lip to keep herself from openly sobbing against him.

But even over her silent crying, she noticed the way his chest shook slightly against her. How his hand that wasn't stroking her back was balled into a tight fist against her back. A sob ripped from her throat at realizing he too was breaking right in front of her, but wanted to comfort her even with how much he was hurting too.

They stayed like that long enough for no more tears to finally come from her eyes. Long enough for her to move her balled fists from his chest to around his back. Well past the point when she realized he wouldn't let her see that he was in fact crying as he held her tight to him to comfort her instead.

When finally he loosened his warm arms around her, she pulled back to rub her eyes but his hands instead caught her face.

A blush rose to her face as her eyes met his own unusually bloodshot bright green. With the tenderness she would expect of him though, he gently wiped any stray tears from her cheeks and under her eyes with his thumb. Just that simple gesture, that act of kindness, made her want to cry once more at knowing that she had outright shut him down to be together.

Shut down a man that is probably more of a gentleman than anyone else in the whole city, minus maybe Adrien.

"I'm sorry." Marinette said once more in a quiet voice as she closed her eyes to try to shut out that shattered look in his eyes. But even then, she still could see it in her mind.

Chat just shushed her, so she opened her eyes in time to see him leaning towards her. Eyes widening, she thought he was about to kiss her.

But his path was further up, chest fluttering as he pressed a kiss to her forehead with as much gentleness as he had used when wiping away her tears.

When he pulled away, he sent her a weak smile as he went to wipe at his own face now instead. She wanted to return the gesture, to wipe away his own tears as he had done with her own. But how could she, when she was the cause of them?

Technically, he was the reason she was crying too. But he just ran the back of his hand over his eyes and cheeks and was done.

"I'm sorry, Princess. That...that he hurt you so much. That you didn't get the relationship you deserve." Chat said after a minute's silence, Marinette frowning as he was going to divert the topic from him and back to her.

She wasn't going to allow that this time.

"Chat, you should talk to her." Marinette said, with earned her a startled expression in response. "Even if she's hurt you, you should talk to her. Give both of you a chance to heal and move past what's happened. Stop beating yourself up because of her." Marinette said and looked away when her voice cracked at her last words.

Chat's hand landed on her arm, fingers stroking soothingly over her arm for a second as she took a breath to steady herself. When she was sure she wouldn't cry, she looked back at him to see him running his free hand over his face.

"Even if I wanted to, she wouldn't listen. She used to listen to me, but since all this drama and Rogue Wolf, she's just basically shutting me out when I'm around. To her it's not important." Chat grumbled and this time Marinette willingly hugged him first, earning a grunt of surprise from the black cat.

She really had to fight this time not to cry again because she knew he was right. Whenever he was around and Rogue Wolf was mentioned, she shut down. She didn't care what he had to say, she just wanted to catch that darned thief. That wasn't right, that wasn't fair to him!

"Try to talk to her Chat, maybe now she'll listen. You never know unless you try." Marinette said instead of apologizing again like she wanted to.

Marinette pulled away from him again to see a weak smile in return. "I'll try, I promise. I can't guarantee it will go well though." Chat said with a shake of his head.

Marinette wanted to offer that he could come talk to her again whenever he felt low about her, even though she knew that wasn't exactly right because he was technically telling Ladybug. But before she could, his staff beeped from his back.

His gaze turned hopeful, pulling it from his back only to turn somber again.

"What is it?" Marinette asked, Chat looking up at her for a second before returning his staff to his back once more.

"It's nothing. Just a wolf sighting from a citizen." Marinette had to fight the urge to growl at the mention that she was out tonight and possibly causing problems. She couldn't let her disdain for the thief get the better of her this time, when Chat leaves she needs to transform so she could follow him and talk to him as Ladybug.

But she noticed the way his eyes looked out to the city after his words, how they took a less somber look to them.

The suspicious urge crept up her spine even as she tried to fight it off. Why would he be anything less than annoyed by Rogue Wolf? She was a thief, they were heroes. They did not mix.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if it was also her fault that she saw that light in his eyes return a little at the mention of Rogue. If she might have possibly pushed him towards the wolf because she had pushed him away from herself.

"Do you... do you want her captured as badly as Ladybug does?" Marinette stumbled with her words, unsure of the right question to ask. On one hand, she wanted to know his views on the neutral now. But on the other hand, she really was afraid of his answer.

Chat just looked back at her and stared at her for a moment, letting her squirm under his bright green gaze. "Princess, she's not important right now. She can be dealt with later, what matters is that before I leave you here tonight that I know you're alright." Her chest fluttered at the sincerity in his words, how he didn't break her gaze for even a moment.

All fears were squashed with that one response.

"I'm fine, Chat Noir. I'm better now, thanks to you." Marinette assured and this time Chat genuinely smiled at her once more, instead of the sad smile he's been giving since she first mentioned her alter ego.

"Good, it makes me feel better to know. You deserve nothing but happiness, a tear should never have to grace your cheek unless it's one of joy." Chat said before she hugged him one more time, mentally kicking herself for not ever giving this cat a chance.

Chat chuckled as she hugged him but didn't hesitate to return the hug. "You deserve nothing but happiness too, Chat. You'll have your Princess soon, you deserve one." Marinette assured him and heard him sigh in front of her.

"I really hope so. But right now, I just want to focus on myself for a little bit. Let myself heal a little while and figure out what the best plan is." Chat explained as she pulled away once again. She saw the sad gaze in his eyes for half a second before it was gone once more. "But your own situation with that boy will get better, Princess. I know it will. Just remember to talk, don't let false fears get in either of your heads. You'll have your Prince someday." Chat said with such honesty and passion that she couldn't help but believe him.

If he could actually believe that she'll have her Prince Charming someday, hopefully soon, then she couldn't argue that he would be right.

"Thank you Chat. For coming over her and talking with me tonight. For letting me cry my heart out to you for a little while." Marinette rubbed her arm in embarrassment as he chuckled a little beside her.

"You let me do the same, don't be embarrassed. Everyone has their breaking point, we just happened to reach ours together." Chat said as he scratched the back of his neck but still kept his eyes on her. "If you ever need to talk, and you can't talk to this boy, just remember I'm always around." Chat said with a wink and a smile, Marinette giggling quietly at his charming ways.

"I'll remember that, Chat." Marinette assured before watching as he stood up once again. Bowing to her, he went to step away from her but stopped for a second.

Before she could ask what was wrong, he spun on his heel and lifted her up into a warm hug once again. Smiling, she returned it with as much passion as he gave into his own. When he pressed his lips to her forehead in a kiss again before pulling away, she knew her face was red once more.

Smiling at her, he bowed to her once again. " _Bonne nuit_ , Purrrincess. Have a nice rest of your night." Chat said before dashing off of her balcony and into the night once more.

Marinette just stood there for a second, chest fluttering and face beat red. But unable to stop smiling at how just a little amount of time with him made her feel much better than she's felt in a while.

* * *

 **All the fluff and angst and MariChat! Any time I even think about Chat crying though, it's just absolutely heartbreaking.**

 **But wow, Marinette turned Adrien down? And not really because she wanted to because she wanted to give him more time to get over his "mystery girl". Who has the hearts of gold, these two have hearts of gold.**

 **Considerably less Rogue/Tiana this chapter. But it didn't really call for her this time, it needed Marinette and Adrien only really. But ooh, do we see a talk between Ladybug and Chat coming up? I dunno, I haven't started on the next chapter yet. I only just finished this one just in time.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! For reviewing, for favoriting or following, just sticking around in general! I'll never be able to thank you enough, and I will see you all next chapter!**


	33. Comfort

Chat was aware that Ladybug has been looking for him and trying to talk to him when she's out on patrol at the same time as him. But he really wasn't quiet ready yet to talk to her.

That, and it seemed that more frequently than not now he wasn't usually alone.

Right now for instance, Rogue was sitting beside him on the edge of the roof of Notre Dame. Happily munching away at a late night dinner that she had grabbed.

He wasn't too sure if she had done so legitimately, or she just took it from a restaurant and then made her way here.

He had to assume though considering the fact that she offered him some as well that it hopefully was paid for.

Chat leaned back against one of the statues situated on the building, Rogue doing the same a second later as he dabbed at his mouth with a napkin.

"I must admit, your city has some wonderful cuisine." Rogue mused beside him as he watched the way she just relaxed beside him, like she had not a care in the world.

"Shouldn't you say our?" Chat asked with a little grin at her when she flicked her golden gaze his way.

"I would, but Little Red wouldn't be too happy if I called this city my own." Rogue reminded him with a cheeky grin, Chat chuckling as he shook his head at her rivalry with his partner.

His partner whom probably hasn't even seen the wolf since the Beast Akuma.

"As long as you live here, it's your city too wolf." Chat reminded her as her arm brushed against his own as they perched on the edge of the building.

"Ah, I almost forgot." Rogue jumped away from him and back around the corner of the building, leaving him to himself for a second before she came back toting a little bag. "What's dinner without dessert." Rogue said before pulling out a container from the bag.

His eyes widened and he nearly jaw dropped at seeing the Chouquettes covered in chocolate chips, Rogue opening the container and handing him one. Without hesitating, he took a bite and savored the pastry that he could never get enough of.

"I love chouquettes." Chat revealed to her before taking another bite of the chocolate chip covered pastry, looking to her to see her taking a bite of one of her own.

"Bet you're glad I brought dessert. Don't worry, I paid for all of this." Rogue assured him as he just stared at her, wondering if it was that obvious that he suspected her of misdeeds.

Together they sat there and enjoyed the pastries and the warm night breeze that ghosted through Paris. It was going to be summer soon, soon his schedule will start to conflict with patrol again since Father will have more photo-shoots scheduled for him.

"So how are you feeling?" Chat was caught off guard by the random question, staring back at her in surprise for how she asked him instead of letting him say it on his own like he usually would.

"I'm fine, better." Chat replied carefully, not too keen on the idea of telling her he had already hit his breaking point days ago when he talked to Marinette. Yes, he talked to Rogue. But he didn't really want to hear her tease him about crying over Ladybug.

Rogue bobbed her head in response to his answer, looking away from him once again and taking another bite of a chouquette. "You look better, like a lot of the weight of what's bothering you is lifting off your shoulders." Was it that obvious?

Or was Rogue a lot more perceptive than he realized? He hasn't seen her much since he talked to Marinette, but she picked up on that he was feeling a bit better just from looking at him?

Smiling, Chat nudged her shoulder with his own. "It's nice to hear the thief worried about the hero. But I'm better Rogue, thank you." Chat added the latter bit when she opened her mouth with an indignant huff.

"I was trying to be serious and you take it to teasing. Fine, from now on I'll stick to the teasing wolf." Rogue said as she put her hands up to her shoulders in a shrug.

Chat noticed something though in her body language, how she was a little more tense now. What was bothering her now, when she was happy and relaxed before?

"Is everything fine with you, Rogue?" Chat asked instead of going along with her attempt to shut out the serious discussion with her teasing wolf behavior.

It almost looked like a debate was taking place within her as she looked between him and the view of the city around them. Nudging her again with his arm, she gave him a half smile. "I'm fine, don't you worry." He wasn't worried, but he didn't believe that either.

"Tell me about it." Chat said and she looked surprised for a second before rolling her eyes at him.

"Chat Noir, I'm supposed to be your enemy. Sitting here-"

"Excuses excuses, just tell me what's wrong and then we can move on from that after." Chat smiled at her even as he interrupted her attempt to weasel out of telling him.

Rogue glared at him for half a second before looking away once more. Stubborn one she is. "It's stupid." Rogue muttered quietly as she kept her eyes off him.

"If it's bothering you it's important, not stupid wolf." Chat replied simply, unwilling to let her think so negatively when he's beside her. They might not be friends, or maybe they are he doesn't know honestly due to their roles. But that doesn't mean he won't try to help her smile and be the happy devious woman she is.

After all, even considering her neutral status, she's still gone out of her way to perk him up on his bad days. How could he not do the same for her?

"Fine." Rogue hissed the word out to the point he couldn't help laugh at her childishness. "You ever met this vendor in the city, Andre?" Rogue asked, and his laughter immediately died at the mention of the sweethearts ice cream vendor.

"Of course, he was Akumatized years back. Like most of Paris at this point." Chat muttered the latter half of his sentence but still kept his gaze on the wolf. Had she met Andre in her civilian form and tried the ice cream?

"Well, he gave me one of those ice creams. But you know what I've realized in the days past, that the stupid colors could represent not just one person I know but two. Both of which I have no desires of pursuing." Rogue explained as she leaned back against the statue beside him with a frustrated glare in her eye.

Frowning, he reached over and pulled her by the shoulder into his own to allow her to take comfort in him should she want to. When she didn't pull away, and instead leaned her head on his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile.

"So what's the real problem then if you have no intentions of pursuing either person?" Chat asked as he tried to push the fact that his ice cream represented the woman beside him to the back of his mind.

"Well, one friend is none too pleased with me at the moment because of it. But of course she won't outright tell me and insists it's all fine. The other is that both men are technically taken." Rogue answered him, confusing him as if she wasn't interested then why would the guys being taken matter?

"Why is your friend upset with you?" Chat asked instead of pointing out that if she's uninterested the fact that the guys are taken shouldn't matter to her.

"Because who do you think the one guy is taken from?" Rogue asked back instead, Chat mouthing an oh to her before realizing she couldn't see with her head resting on his shoulder.

"Well have you told her you're not interested?" Chat asked and heard a rumbling growl beside him, knowing that it must have come from her chest as he rarely heard her growl.

"Many times. But once the little green monster enters the mind, suspicion won't allow for fair thoughts." Rogue replied with the wise way of her words that he's starting to get used to, but still finds very odd considering her age. She must learn a lot from the past General Wolf.

They sat in silence for a moment as he just let her have a moment to calm herself. "Rogue, I'm sure things will get better with her. Just sit down and explain to her that there is no worries." Chat said and earned an indignant snort.

"That probably would have worked better had I not openly done with him what she wanted to do. Granted, he did it right back so it wasn't all on me." Rogue shrugged her shoulder against his own.

"What did you do?" Chat asked, curious now as to what kind of misdeed she could have done in civilian life as he knew what she could do as Rogue Wolf.

"That sweethearts ice cream has some legend that whomever shares it will be together forever. As if I believe it, but apparently she believes in it a lot. I wonder how she would feel about it if she heard the story of the Wolf and the Drakon, since they shared it and they're still not together." Rogue muttered before pulling away from his side.

Her warmth against his side fading, he reached over to pull her back into him but she was looking away from him this time.

"Your partner is out. I should probably bolt before she finds us." Rogue alerted him, Chat sitting up and pulling his staff from his lower back to check if she was right. When he saw the red blip on his radar on the other side of the city, he frowned.

Part of him wanted to see her and talk, yes. But at the same time, he didn't want to leave Rogue just yet since she was having her own issues. He wanted to help her like she's done for him.

"Ah ah, don't leave yet." Chat said and grabbed her hand before she could get up to leave him already.

"Would you rather she find us? Because then it will turn into one long night of fighting and bickering, and not between her and I." Rogue reminded him, but instead of letting her leave he stood up too and lead her over towards one of the windows on the side of the building, slipping inside.

Hopefully if she sees he's not outside and is in fact inside Notre Dame, she'll assume he's busy and let him be for a little while.

"It really seems like you're trying to avoid her, kitten." Rogue mused in front of him, having to blink a few times for his night vision to kick in and see her inside the dark room they found themselves in. She already had her goggles down over her eyes.

"I'm not but at the same time I am. I'm not quiet ready to talk to her yet about our relationship. Which I have a feeling is why she's been looking for me for days." Chat revealed, Rogue giving him a curious twitch of her lips into a half smile.

"Aw, you'd rather hang out with a thief than a bug. I'm flattered, kitty cat." Rogue cooed, Chat giving her a mocking laugh in response before leading her further in to the tower to finish their discussion about her problems.

Once they were further inside, he turned to her once more. "Please, continue where we left off from before." Chat urged her, waving a hand at her as well to encourage her to continue.

"There's not much more to say." Rogue replied, but he just stared her down until she looked away from him. Smirking triumphantly, he followed when she walked a few more feet away and sat down.

Sitting beside her, her warmth once more met his side as she leaned into him again. He couldn't deny that being close to someone, anyone, just made the day a little easier. Being able to enjoy that comfort and kindness that comes with it, even though he knew there was nothing between the two of them.

"So instead of talking about the friend that's mad at you, why don't you tell me about these two boys." Chat offered, flashing her a cheeky smile when she looked at him like he was mad. "Oh come on, you wouldn't be so bothered by some ice cream if there wasn't a small part of you at least curious." Chat reasoned with her, which in turn got a snort from the girl beside him.

"I wouldn't dare consider that with either of them, kitty cat. If there's one thing I absolutely won't steal, it's another woman's man. No woman deserves that, regardless of my personal views on her." Rogue replied honestly, Chat smiling a little as her morals were actually very good considering her miraculous occupation.

"Okay, if they weren't both already taken then tell me what you would think of it." Chat rephrased, continuing to smile at her when she just glared at him for still pressing. "My dear wolf, you've done this same thing to me. It's my turn, come on." Chat urged her by patting her on the head, surprised when she didn't try to bite at him and instead leaned into him more.

A soft smile won over his charming teasing one, enjoying the comfort. He knows it should be weird, considering that they hardly know one another and are supposed to be enemies. But he can't deny that it still feels good to have someone actually want to be close.

"The one is such a good friend I haven't considered it. Even if it weren't for my other friend, I'd probably still not have considered it because I like having a friend. The other, I could hardly say I know well enough to make that choice. Unlike you, kitty cat, I need to actually know more before I can open myself up to that vulnerability." Rogue said as he wondered if she ever listened with her heart over her brain, because her answer was far too logical for something to do with relationships.

"I knew enough to know I love her, I didn't need to know everything about her to make that decision." Chat advised her in response to her last comment directed at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to phrase it that way. Before I came to your city, I hardly hard any friends. One, to be exact. So to come here and have multiple, it's great and it's something I don't want to change. Not even for a relationship that who knows if it would even last." Chat frowned at her negative attitude towards love. Shouldn't she be more open to it considering the Wolf and the Drakon?

"Why do you see love such a way?" Chat asked, causing her to pull away from his shoulder and look at him. "Everyone else in the world wants it more than anything typically, and here you sit and say if it will even last." Chat pointed out and noticed the way her posture slumped a little.

"When you're denied it from even the people who are supposed to love you, you begin to think that you aren't allowed to have it yourself. That you don't deserve it." Rogue replied in a voice he hadn't heard her use before, frowning more at how quiet it was at having to speak.

How sad it sounded.

Without much though, he pulled her back into his side and slid his arm around her waist to keep her there, wanting to keep that sadness away more than anything. She shouldn't have to feel sad or denied, she should be happy and love freely without fear.

"Everyone deserves to love and be loved, Rogue. Even if you haven't had it much in your life until now, then you deserve it even more than anyone else to see just how powerful and amazing it is." Chat assured her with a squeeze of his arm tighter around her.

Rogue was silent after that, so he too sat in silence in the darkness of the tower. The only noise came from the city outside.

Until that is he heard a thud on the roof above. "Chat Noir?" Uh oh...

Rogue yanked herself away from him without a second's hesitation, both of them leaping to their feet as he watched the windows to make sure she didn't follow them inside.

"Well, all fun must come to an end sometime." Rogue whispered to him as she took a step away from him.

Suddenly, he didn't really care that Ladybug was right above them and wasn't supposed to know that they were meeting each other most nights and talking. His mind just replayed that sad tone to her voice and the way she slouched when she would normally stand tall with poise and happiness.

Before Rogue could try to escape somewhere into Notre Dame, he followed her step away from him and took her by the wrist.

A confused hum came from her before he pulled her by her arm into his own arms, her nose coming to rest against his collar. Her posture froze against him for a moment, before her arms slipped around his back and she returned the hug he was giving her.

It should be wrong, they shouldn't be this close. But he couldn't just let her go when she seemed so sad. He wants her happy, like she usually tries to help him feel even considering his own issues.

The other thing though is that much like when he would hug Tiana, he noticed that he didn't really want to let go. That it was so comfortable and felt so right just to be close to her even when he knew it wasn't.

"Please, don't let your negative view on love effect how you view possible relationships, Wolf. It's not fair to you, and you never know. Your Ice cream might actually be showing you who is meant for you." Chat whispered to her as he felt her body relax against his own, smiling as he wondered if he had that effect on her or if she just chose to relax.

The relaxed posture that both of them had taken shifted the moment he heard a window creak open, Rogue pulling away from him far too soon.

She looked back at him for half a second before she fled the tower, casting him a gentle smile before she was gone into the darkness of the building. Leaving him alone to the conversation with Ladybug that he's been dreading.

"Chat?" Ladybug called again and with a sigh, he walked over towards the window he figured she had come in from. When she came into sight, he noticed how alert she was as she scanned the tower carefully.

She couldn't know he was with Rogue, could she?

"I'm right here, bugaboo." Chat revealed, coming out of the darkness since he knew she didn't have night vision or goggles to help her see in the dark like he and Rogue did.

"There you are." Ladybug sighed as he walked up to her until he was a foot away, noticing how she relaxed now that she saw him. "What are you doing in here? Is there a problem?" Ladybug asked as she waved a hand out to indicate the tower.

"Not at all, everything's alright my lady. I'm sorry if you rushed over here because you thought I might need help." Chat apologized as he walked over towards the window she had come in through to look outside once more.

"I've been looking for you for days, Chat Noir." Ladybug reminded him of what he already knew.

"I know you have." Chat replied back coolly, folding his arms against the window.

"Have you been avoiding me?" Ladybug asked as she stopped beside him at the window. A glance towards her showed him her surprise over realizing he has been hiding from her.

"Yes. I needed some time to myself, bugaboo. I'm sorry if it was important." Chat apologized once again, almost flinching when her hand rested against his forearm.

"Chat, I'm sorry. You don't need to keep apologizing. I haven't been a good partner to you recently." Ladybug revealed and this time he looked directly at her instead of out of the corner of his eye. "I let my suspicions about that wolf cloud my judgment about you, and that wasn't fair to you. I trust you Chat, and I know everything I said was out of line." Ladybug said honestly as he finally met her bluebell gaze with his own.

His heart skipped at how she was finally looking at him like he wasn't a bad kitty and instead like he was the man he really was.

"I know that even if you banter with her, you'll still do your job. You're still on our side of good." Ladybug said and he felt his mood sour at the part about it being their side.

"Our?" Chat asked sourly. "Do you mean you and Mighty Lion? Because it wasn't me you helped out during the last Akuma, it was him. Rogue Wolf had to help me out of that rubble, and even then you didn't even check if I was alright. Instead I had a civilian show more concern for me than you did." Chat growled, knowing he should just accept her apology so they could move on from this but it still didn't change the hurt he's felt.

How he felt like he had to find that ring just to earn her forgiveness when she shouldn't have made him have to earn her forgiveness in the first place. She should have just trusted him and cared about him the way he does for her.

"I know, Chat, and I'm sorry. That wasn't right that she had to help you, I should have done it. I don't know who this Lion guy is, and I don't really trust him all that much considering he used to be the wolf's partner." Chat's ears perked at her words, turning to her once more as he hadn't realized that she knew the truth. "But I trust you, and I'm sorry for hurting you. I've been...I've just been a horrible person in general to you." Ladybug muttered the last half of her sentence as she looked away from him and out the window.

His anger subsided a little at seeing how remorseful she seemed about her actions. No matter how hurt he was, or upset he was with her, he couldn't stay mad at her for long. He's been loyal to her all these years, he can't stand to see her upset.

"I know how much I hurt you, not just about losing trust in you about the job but because I didn't believe how you feel about me is genuine." His heart sank at the mention, looking away again as he really didn't want to talk about this now.

"You already had someone you loved, it's not your fault for not paying my feelings much mind." Chat tried to assure her even though he knew that was really no excuse.

"That's no excuse Chat." Ladybug reassured him of that truth. "Even if I wasn't interested, that wasn't fair of me not to believe you. To just ignore how you felt because I already felt that way about someone else." Ladybug sighed at her own words as he watched her for a moment.

How she couldn't look at him from her remorse and instead looked out the window. How she had her eyes closed like she was trying to fight off her emotions.

"You deserve someone that would treat you better than I have, Chat. I honestly don't blame you for trying to move on from me now after all these years after how I've treated you." Chat's eyes widened at her words, how did she know that?

"Who told you that?" Chat asked, since as far as he knew Marinette, Tiana and Rogue were the only ones who knew that he was moving on. His other friends thought he was still fighting to have her.

"I've heard rumors floating around, chaton. Like I said, I don't blame you. You deserve a girl that will believe you from the very moment you tell her your actions or how you feel, not someone who would second guess you and instead hurt your feelings." Ladybug said it with such honesty he worried if she might cry for a moment as she had to close her eyes after.

Heck, he felt like crying again even just talking about this. But he would fight back the tears because he didn't want her to worry more or feel like an even worse partner than she already thinks she is.

"Bugaboo, I've felt this way for three years. Even now trying to get over it and move on, it's more of a fight than I've ever had to put up. But I don't want this to come between us, I want to be happy for you and this relationship you have with this boy. He's the luckiest guy in the world, and I am too just for being able to call you my partner and my friend." Chat revealed as he stepped a little closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, glad that she didn't shrug it away.

Instead of easing her regret like he hoped though, she only looked more sad by his words.

"Chat, please don't push aside what I've done to you. I am still and always have been your friend, and I'll always be your partner even long after we retire from this job."

"Is that your way of saying you'll let me see who you really are?"

"But I at least want you to know that I'll try to do better. I trust you, more than anyone else. I know you'll get the job done, and I know you'll stick by my side. But I also want you to know that you can talk to me and I'll listen better, I'll be a better partner to you like you've been to me all these years." Ladybug promised and his heart skipped again at how passionate she was about getting her words to him.

"Bugaboo..." Chat trailed off, at a loss for words. Yes, he wanted her to listen to him the way Rogue has done better in the time between them fighting and now. But at the same time he wanted to try to move on.

He was being honest, he wanted to be happy for her and this relationship she has. He wanted to find his own happiness with someone, and while he wanted so desperately before for that to be Ladybug he didn't want it to be out of pity or curiosity. He wanted her to want to be with him because she genuinely loved him like he did her.

But she didn't feel that way, no matter how much it hurt to admit it every time he knew she didn't.

"I promise, if there's anything you need to tell me from now on I'll listen. I'll believe you the first time instead of putting it off. You shouldn't ever have to feel like you need to hide from me, Chat." Great, now he feels guilty for running and hiding from her these last few days.

"I just needed a chance to accept for myself that you won't feel the same way about me, my lady." Chat muttered before looking away from her once more.

"Chat, I do love you. But like a best friend, and I'm sorry because I know how much that hurts for you to hear." Ladybug said as she rested her hand on his arm again, squeezing it comfortingly.

"I've held out hope for three years, Ladybug. I really, really thought that one day things would change and you would come to feel the same way. Heck, even all of Paris was rooting for us to get together." Chat reminded of the many times reporters or civilians would ask if they were together or not.

"I know." Ladybug squeezed his arm gently again and he sighed before leaning closer to her, wishing he could at least have more comfort than a squeeze on the arm. A flash of golden in his mind made him miss that warmth at his side when he knew he really shouldn't. "You can still talk to me though even now as you're trying to get over me. I honestly believe you're better off with any girl other than me." Ladybug said as he looked at her for half a second before sighing.

"I've never even considered anyone else but you, bugaboo." Chat pointed out, before her bluebell gaze met him once again with a gentle smile as well.

"Oh come on, you can't honestly tell me you haven't. You're the charming bachelor of Paris who a lot of girls fan girl over." Ladybug reminded with a teasing tone, Chat chuckling a little as she wasn't wrong.

"They can all fan girl over me all they want. I know I'm pawsitively handsome and desirable, but it doesn't mean I'll look at them the way they do at me." Chat said and as usual earned a groan from his partner for the pun.

"Maybe find someone who can take your puns and throw some too, Chaton." Ladybug said with a teasing smile now, and he couldn't help but smile a little at remembering just one girl who's able to do that.

But it wouldn't work, because he's a hero and she's a thief. Ladybug despises her even though he's growing to really like her company.

But even besides that, he doubts she would even feel that way about him either.

"So are we better now, can we try to work through all of this together to move on from the pain, Chat?" Ladybug asked and drew him out of his thoughts about the wolf.

"Yes, bugaboo. But if I don't feel like talking some days, please don't take it the wrong way." Chat asked of her and earned a gentle smile in return.

"I know, you just need your space to move on. But I'll still be here to talk about it with you if you want to. It would probably be more fun for you than chasing that wolf every other night." His heart dropped at that mention. Did she know?

"What do you mean?" Chat asked as calmly as he could.

"You having to watch to make sure she doesn't steal anything or tag any buildings when I'm not out. I heard about the bank and how you chased her off from doing anything more than spraying that paw print on the bricks." He nearly sighed with relief at realizing she was just referring to the nights when he would catch Rogue in the midst of some petty crime.

"It's part of the job, my lady. As long as I keep her from doing anything major, I'm fine with a little job through the city at night." Chat assured her with a grin, that grin fading when he heard a beep from his hand.

Has he really been out that long already?

"Looks like you're almost out of time, Chat." Ladybug said as she pointed towards his hand.

Frowning, he looked down at the little ring and mentally cursed Plagg for his timing. Looking back up and meeting a small smile from the woman he loved, he smiled back.

"Can I be honest with you for a second?" Chat asked, earning a nod from her in response. "I honestly was dreading this conversation with you, my lady. I really didn't want to hear again that you don't feel the same way. But, I actually do feel a lot better than I have. I'm glad to know you at least trust me again." Chat said before receiving the biggest surprise of the night.

Ladybug took a step forward and hugged him, and his heart pounded against his chest rapidly before he returned it with no more hesitation. "I've always trusted you, Chat. No matter what happens, I'll always trust you over anything else. I really hope that what's happened won't stop you from trusting me too." Ladybug said before pulling back a little so he could see her face again.

"Of course I trust you, my lady. From the moment I met you I've trusted you with everything, even my heart. Even if I'm trying to move on now, it doesn't mean you don't still have a part of it." Chat explained and this time noticed the way her eyes watered a little at his words. Pulling her back in, they stayed there in each others embrace until his ring had beeped a warning once again.

Ladybug pulled away first, smiling at him still as he stepped back to depart through the window. "We can continue this tomorrow if you're out, Chat." Ladybug offered as he stepped up onto the window sill.

"I'd love to, bugaboo." Chat said with a grin before leaping out the window, feeling lighter than he has in weeks even though he feared that talk. But now he realizes he really did just need to talk with her.

* * *

 **I'm sorry, I know I'm a little late! I had a little trouble with inspiration this time, so I literally just finished this chapter a few minutes ago!**

 **Aww, not only does Chat finally make up with Ladybug but he also has a little deeper talk with Rogue this time too. This time about her own life too, not just his own.**

 **I know this is a small foot note this time, but I've also been very busy again recently. So thank you all so much for reading, and I will see you next chapter!**


	34. Miscommunication

Tiana didn't believe her when she told her it was fine the first time, and she still didn't believe now over a week after the fact.

Marinette was none too pleased about the whole ice cream thing, and she knew it even if her words said otherwise. How?

Well, she wasn't talking to her as much. In fact, she was talking with Nathaniel more than her. How else? She was keeping a watchful eye on her whenever she would be around Adrien.

Which hasn't even been often in the last week because the two of them seem to be striking up together well, finally. Even though she's also getting on well with Nathaniel, which leaves Tiana wondering who it really is that she's interested in.

Because it's sure not fair to the red head to lead him on if she still only has eyes for Adrien.

Why did they have to go get that sweethearts ice cream? It's not even like it actually works. Besides, diffusing tension with comedic relief is obviously her go to, so Marinette should have known that her stealing a taste of his ice cream was nothing more than that. Plus, he did it right back to her.

Even though now she realizes her own ice cream could have also been a description of Adrien instead of Chat Noir. Which is probably who Marinette assumed it was representing.

Why did she have to take every little teasing action between the two of them so literal?

Tiana heard the buzz of her phone from the desk on the other side of the room, and heard it buzz a few times more. But she didn't get up, she just stayed laid out on the couch with Verro on the arm rest watching her as she scrolled through Netflix on the new TV she had put down in the den for them.

She didn't want to be in her room really, because who knows if Chat Noir will just pop over randomly like he likes to do.

She's seen him only once since the talk at Notre Dame, but she saw him more than he saw her. She noticed the way he and Ladybug are better now, talking now. So she tried to keep her distance for his sake to make sure she didn't put two and two together that they weren't really following the rules about heroes and thieves.

The one time he has seen her though, they talked for a little while before he quickly left because Ladybug was out and he had made plans to talk to her.

If things were better between them though, she shouldn't be surprised that he would want to be with her again over herself.

But it still didn't stop the foreign sour taste in her mouth.

A buzz from her desk let her know that her phone was going off yet again, but she still didn't move. Instead, Verro got up from his spot on the arm rest and floated off in the direction of the desk.

Verro came back a second later with her phone between his little paws, laying down on her stomach this time. "It's three of them this time, but mainly Lover Boy." Verro revealed before Tiana reluctantly plucked her phone from his paws.

The first was Nathaniel who was asking her if she was alright since she left straight after school even after telling him she didn't have rehearsals today. The next from him was asking if she wanted to catch a movie later, which she also didn't want to do because she had a feeling that the others would come too if they did.

Next was in the group chat, and to solidify her belief it was Marinette and Alya talking about going to the movies tonight. Nathaniel hasn't yet been added to the group chat, so she figured later she would do it or Marinette would do it herself.

The final one was more than a few from Adrien. " _Is everything alright? You haven't really been talking to me or Mari in the last few days._ " That was the beginning of him proceeding to try to get her attention with more texts.

" _Kitten? Come on, tell me what's going on._ "

" _I know your not at rehearsals, you told Nathaniel you were off today._ "

" _Kitten if you don't tell me what's wrong I'll come over there myself to find out._ "

She hardly believed the last one, as he was just as busy as she was herself.

But him coming over to her estate would only make Marinette even more suspicious of goings on that aren't actually happening. So sitting up reluctantly, she began typing a reply to him.

" _Everything is fine, Lover Boy. I'm just busy, as usual._ " Hopefully he would believe that.

Not even a minute later she got a reply back. " _If that were true, then you wouldn't be talking to all of us instead of just Mari and I. Kitten, come on._ " Tiana heard Verro snickering behind her shoulder and turned to glare at him briefly.

"Hey, you're the one who started it by calling him Lover Boy. Why don't you just admit that a part of you is curious if he's the one that the prediction was for, I mean did you even notice his ice cream?" Verro asked and this time confused her.

"What are you referring to?" Tiana asked the snickering Kwami.

"You are blind sometimes, you know that. You zero in on one thing to the point that others fade to the back. White hair and golden eyes? Who has golden eyes?" Verro asked as he floated in front of her while his words started to sink in.

But...Adrien hasn't seen her with white hair, or her eyes their natural color before. The only time that one is true is when she's Rogue Wolf.

"That must have been a mix up, because he's never seen me without my contacts in." Tiana challenged his words but he just smirked back at her.

"Remember the part about the blueberry." Verro pointed out before pointing a little paw at her eyes, Tiana just staring back at him for a moment.

No, no that's not right. Adrien's interests are in Marinette, well now they are since the mystery girl broke his heart.

"Why do you have to point out these things that you know are going to torment my mind for a while?" Tiana asked the still snickering wolf floating in front of her.

"To keep you on your feet and thinking. What, you really think you'll end up like your Grandfather? You two are a lot alike, but that doesn't mean you'll share the same life events." Verro said before her phone buzzed once again where she dropped it beside her on the couch.

Picking it up, it was yet another text from Adrien. " _Did I or Marinette do something to upset you? Is that why you're not talking to either of us? Or did just one of us do something?_ "

"You know, it's also not very fair to him to shut him out just because of Marinette. If she won't believe you, that's her own problem. It shouldn't change your friendship with him." Verro pointed out to her in his usual older smarter wolf way.

Tiana hated it when she knew he was right. He was never going to let her forget it later.

" _No, you didn't do anything Adrien._ " Tiana sent the text before she heard her computer across the room beeping in warning, getting up to see that the sensors had gone off.

Pulling up the camera feeds, she noticed it was the boy whom had told her he would come over to figure out for himself what the problem is. His Father and secretary were with him too, so she assumed he just tagged along since Gabriel was likely working with Mother today on the costume designs.

Shutting everything down, she high tailed it towards the stairs with Verro zipping ahead of her.

When she reached the surface and Verro gave her the all clear, she slipped out of the hidden stairway before making her way towards her bedroom.

Maybe he would be less inclined to follow if she was in there, due to him being a gentleman. As it was, Marinette was going to get even more suspicious because of him being here in general without the rest of them.

Reaching her room, she barely hid inside when there was a knock at her door. "You have a visitor, Tiana." Louie didn't even wait for her to reply to the knocking and just opened her door.

Shooting him a small glare before he could leave, Tiana faced the boy who proved her wrong in that he would figure out what the problem was himself.

"Okay so if I didn't do anything wrong, what's the problem then Kitten?" Adrien asked after a minute of just silently standing near the door to her room.

There was no getting out of this now then was there?

With a sigh through her nose, she beckoned him in and towards her couch. Letting him sit first, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket again and faintly heard his own do the same.

Adrien pulled his own out and placed it on the coffee table in front of her couch, keeping his attention on her instead of checking what had to have been the group chat.

She really didn't want to tell him about Marinette though, they were just finally starting to move towards a possible relationship and she didn't want to jeopardize that by telling him she was being overbearing about their friendship with one another.

"Kitten?" Adrien scooted closer to her on the couch.

"Do you really want to know? That badly?" Tiana asked instead of telling him outright. That earned a curious look, but he only scooted a little closer again.

"Is this about the whole ice cream sharing thing, because this has been going on since then. Did it make this, us awkward?" Adrien asked and pointed his finger between the two of them.

"Not us." Tiana muttered before really realizing what she was saying. Locking eyes with him, she noticed his gaze on her soften.

"Marinette." Adrien sighed after saying her name and ran a hand through his perfectly combed hair. "I knew she wasn't telling me the full truth when she said it was fine." Adrien said as his phone vibrated from the coffee table.

"She won't admit to it, but it's pretty obvious when she has basically been ignoring me since and only really talks to me if she has to. You'd think she'd believe that nothing is going on, especially considering you two aren't really dating yet." Tiana grumbled the latter half of her sentence before fighting off a flinch when he moved a little closer once again to her.

Why is he being like Chat Noir now? Why do some people just have to be physically close to others? Each time he gets closer she can't help but wonder if that prediction was about him.

"If we're being honest, I don't know right now if I even want to date her." Adrien admitted which earned him a shocked look because last she knew he was trying for her. "Right now I just feel like I need to focus on myself more, and she's understanding of the fact that I need time to work out my own issues. I wouldn't want to drag her into them." Adrien explained while fiddling with the silver ring he had on his hand.

"You two have been going out together for lunch like almost every day the past week." Tiana pointed out her confusion with that statement, Adrien chuckling as he looked up from fiddling with his ring.

"As friends. She knows that too, by the way. It was her decision actually." Well now she's just all sorts of confused. "If how she's treating you right now is really bothering you though, I'll talk-"

"Don't." Tiana cut him off before he could finish that sentence. "Really, it will only make things worse. I'm just letting her figure it out for herself since she won't believe me." Tiana said as Adrien just stared at her in confusion now.

"But...Kitten it's effecting your friendships." Adrien reminded her of what she already knew.

"I'm sorry I haven't been talking to you as much. I know that was wrong and it wasn't fair to you to let you worry instead of telling you. I didn't want you to get in the middle of it because you two have been getting on so well recently. I can take a bullet to let others have more fun." Tiana admitted with a shrug, before suddenly she was enveloped in a hug by the green eyed man beside her.

"Don't do that to yourself." Adrien said as her nose pressed into his over shirt, face against his shoulder as his chin rested on her own. "Don't let yourself be shut out because you think it's helping someone else, that's not fair to anyone. Not just unfair to you." Adrien said while she just closed her eyes and let him reprimand her for stepping back for the two of them.

His arms around her, all she could think about was the smell of expensive cologne on his shirt. Swearing she could faintly smell cheese, but that might just be the cologne.

As she was going to pull away from his shoulder and apologize again, his phone buzzed continually on the coffee table. He turned to it and with a sigh removed one of his arms from her.

"I'm sorry, they're all going to see a movie so they're probably trying to see if I want to go." Adrien explained as he picked up his phone from the table.

Tiana pulled away from him before he answered the call. " _Allô_ , we've been trying for an hour to get a hold of you, Adrien." Tiana didn't need the phone to be on speaker to hear Marinette's perky voice float out from the device.

" _Désolé_ , I'm at Tiana's with Father right now." Adrien answered her back and Tiana sighed, pulling away from him fully as she knew he just stoked the fire of Marinette's suspicions.

"Oh. Well she can come too, Nathaniel asked her a while ago but she hasn't been answering him or texting in the group chat either." Marinette said as Tiana noticed the way Adrien glanced at her for a second, hopefully unaware she could hear his entire conversation with Marinette.

"I could ask her if she'd like to go but I don't think she feels up to it today." Adrien said as she pulled out her own phone to check what messages she's missed already.

"Why not?" Oh as if you don't know.

It's because of her irrational jealousy and suspicions that she worried Adrien. That she hasn't been talking to him and that Mari herself had been ignoring her over something so petty as ice cream.

Standing up, Tiana had decided she didn't want to hear anymore of the conversation from both sides and walked over towards her desk, noticing a drawer open and finding Verro inside eating when she went to close it.

Her Kwami secure, she sat down on the edge of her bed as Adrien continued to talk on his phone from the couch, tuning him out as she laid back on the plush comforter and looked at her own phone.

Reopening her conversation with Nathaniel, she decided to reply to him finally. " _You guys go ahead and see that movie, I don't feel up to leaving my home anymore today._ " Sending it, she looked up as she heard Adrien bid Marinette goodbye.

Sitting back up, she stood up as she noticed him look in her direction and walked back over to the couch. "I mentioned what was going on to her. I'm supposed to finish that talk later tonight." Adrien revealed almost as soon as she sat down.

Tiana just gaped at him for a second at how he went ahead and butted into the dispute when he hadn't really had much to do with it before now. "Adrien-"

"Don't argue with me, I'm not letting you do this to yourself. It's technically because of me, so I'm going to talk to her." Adrien said firmly, obviously unwilling to change his mind on the matter.

Sighing, she leaned back into the couch. Well, she'll find out tonight or tomorrow how this ends up going then. All she hopes is that it doesn't effect their relationship together or the chance of them getting together should Adrien have wanted it.

Adrien scooted over to her again until she could physically feel his warmth against her side. "You can pout all you want, Kitten. I won't change my mind." Adrien teased her, and upon looking up saw the tilt of his lips to one side in a teasing smirk and the way his vibrant green eyes seemed to glow with amusement.

Tiana stuck her tongue out at him before noticing the way he just grinned more at her upon the rebuttal. "Why are you grinning like that?" Tiana asked, genuinely confused how he could get so much enjoyment out of poking at her supposedly pouting.

"Because I'm distracting you from being annoyed with me for getting in the middle of this." Adrien replied, Tiana staring back at him in surprise for how he used her go to as Rogue against her.

Typically, she was the one distracting others from their problems. She's never encountered Adrien as Rogue Wolf before, but yet he just used her own technique against her?

Adrien laughed this time at her surprise, Tiana noticing the way his cheeks would tint pink a little as he laughed openly. How his eyes were half closed as he looked down before back at her.

Tiana smirked slyly at him also since he made the mistake of getting so close to her. If he wanted to tease her, she could do the same. "If you wanted me distracted, I could always point out that you, the gentleman, are sitting in the bedroom of a girl whom you're not even dating." Tiana pointed out with her sly smile still held.

His laughter ended a second later and his pink cheeks turned bright red at the statement, eyes now wide as he stared at her. "W-wait a second-"

"No no no, you started this Lover Boy. Don't back out because you're embarrassed. Let me ask, is the gentleman side just an act? Are you secretly just trying to get into girls bedrooms?" Tiana asked with a poke of her finger into his chest, the boy looking down at her hand before back up as she watched the red migrate out from his face to the tips of his ears.

She couldn't lie, there was something undeniably cute about a bashful guy.

"I'm not like that!" Adrien protested with surprisingly no stutter to his words this time. "I..." Adrien cut short and turned away in embarrassment as she began to openly laugh at him now.

"Teasing goes both ways, Lover Boy." Tiana said through her laughter, falling onto her back on the couch as she watched how Adrien hunched over and covered his face with his hands from embarrassment over her words.

"Really?" Adrien spoke up after a minute of her just having a fit of laughter at his expense. When she was about to sit up, a blur of blond clouded her vision for a second before she saw the green of his eyes. "You know, you've put yourself in a position for me to get back at you for that." Adrien smirked devilishly down at her as she realized he was leaning over her.

The desire to point out that he was making her previous statement more true tickled her tongue, but his fingertips met her side and she instinctively knew what was about to happen.

"Don't you dare." Tiana warned him but he only continued to grin deviously down at her.

Faster than she's sure he's ever seen her move, she rolled her body off the couch and onto all fours, jumping up quickly to try to make a run for it.

Movement behind her let her know he was chasing her down too, so she threw open the door to her room and ran instead of trying to hide somewhere he might catch her.

"Oh come on, Kitten. You act like tickling you would be horrible." Adrien called as they ran through the halls.

"Because it would be!" Tiana replied back before skidding towards the stairs and sliding down the railing.

She definitely didn't think he would just follow her and slide down. But since she was first, she took off towards the nearest hiding place she could think of the moment her feet hit the tile.

As they ran through the rarely used living room though, she was suddenly tackled into the couch with a squeal from her and a triumphant ha from the blond that now pinned her to the plush cushions.

How did he possibly keep up with her with all the twists and turns in this maze of a estate?

Face down on the couch, she turned her face to the side as his hand pressed down into the couch beside her head, his entire body pinning her down to the couch as she spotted that devilishly evil smirk on his pink lips again.

...Now is probably not the best time to think of his rose pink lips when he is above her...

"Now, I might be inclined to lighten your punishment if you apologize for teasing me." Adrien offered in a way that made her think of making a deal with the devil.

"You're only proving my point from earlier." Tiana quipped back instead, Adrien humming in confusion above her. "You're pinning me down, on top of me. How would that look to passersby?" Tiana asked with a smirk, and his face once again turned bright red at the realization.

Before he huffed and with a flurry of movement, she was instead pinned to his chest with his back against the couch now and her own against his chest. "There, now you can't use that excuse anymore." Adrien said right behind her ear, his warm breath causing a shiver to travel down her spine before he began his assault.

The shiver died just as quick as it started as she burst into laughter, his fingertips poking and tickling against her sides as she tried to get free but he held her to him with his free arm wrapping around her stomach. "N-no! Let go!" Tiana protested through her laughter as he continued, struggling against his arm.

"Nope." Adrien popped his word with a laugh, Tiana trying harder to get free as he attacked her ribs with his fingertips.

After a moment, she was nearly wheezing with laughter as he laughed behind her before she heard the door to the living room open again. Struggling with her breath and still laughing, she could hardly open her eyes to see who was entering.

"Do you submit?" Adrien asked before his hand stilled against her ribs as a throat cleared across the room.

"If you two wanted a little privacy, you should probably take that upstairs." Tiana's eyes snapped over to the doorway where Louie was standing, leaning in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest. "You have more visitors, mademoiselle, but I can make them wait if you two are busy." Louie offered as she stared back at him in confusion.

Still trying to catch her breath and wheezing slightly, Adrien finally released his hold on her. "Just try to catch your breath for a second." Adrien said before she felt him sit up, still having her against his chest as Louie stood in the doorway.

"I'm amazed you didn't do to him what you did to the last person that tried to tickle you." Louie commented, Tiana glaring weakly at him as Adrien lifted her off him with surprising ease and sat her beside him on the couch now.

"What happened to the last person?" Adrien asked as he turned to Louie now instead of asking her the question.

"Well, from what I heard, he-" Tiana silenced her butler by grabbing the nearest cushion from the couch and whipping it at him, Louie laughing as he jumped to the side to avoid the projectile.

"That's enough out of you, who are these other visitors?" Tiana asked instead of throwing the many words she wanted to at him that she knew would be wrong when Adrien was right beside her and otherwise unaware of how she talked with Louie.

"The lot that came back with you last time." Louie revealed before walking back out the door for a moment and returning with their friends that should have been going to see a movie.

"What were you two up to?" Alya asked with a knowing smirk at her as they all filed into the room.

Oh lovely, the one girl that didn't need to know Adrien was even over instead now knows that he was assaulting her sides with tickling.

Looking to Marinette herself, she noticed that she looked crossed between upset and apologetic.

Wonderful.

"Since you two are stuck here tonight, we figured we'd bring the movies to you guys." Nino offered as he and Alya walked over to the couch and sat beside her and Adrien.

Marinette sat down next on the other end of the couch with Nathaniel. From the looks of it, it appeared she was having a silent conversation with Adrien from the way they kept meeting gazes before looking away.

This is going to be a long night.

* * *

Adrien was not expecting when he told Marinette that he knew something was going on between her and Tiana that they would all just show up at the girls home.

They had agreed to talk about the issue later, but instead here they were in Tiana's living room watching movies with tons of snacks brought in by Louie.

While Marinette also kept having a stare down with him every so often while also glancing towards Tiana, who was still sitting right up beside him. Not having moved an inch from where he moved her after her tickle punishment.

Yes it was probably a little less appropriate than normal, he knew that. But she wasn't exactly being appropriate either, insinuating that he's anything less than a gentleman.

Besides, friends can tickle one another without it meaning more. Right?

Adrien stole a glance at Tiana beside him as she hugged her legs up against her body, fighting the urge to frown as she looked so unhappy just from that posture alone. He wanted her to laugh again, like she had been doing earlier when he tickled her. Her laugh was so infectious, so adorable.

He just wanted his friends to get along and not be like this to each other because one of them thinks that they're secretly seeing each other. Why does Marinette even think that to begin with, he's never in any way shown that he's interested in Tiana and she's never done the same to him either.

When Marinette sent another worried glance in Tiana's direction, Adrien sighed before sitting up and grabbing the remote to pause the movie.

"Hey why'd you pause it?" Nino protested, but he just gave him a look and he immediately knew to not question him at the moment.

"Is this about Mari and Tiana?" Alya asked, moving to the other end of the couch and Nino following suit.

"Both of you need to talk instead of this silent pouting." Adrien said firmly, both of them just gaping at him for a moment before he too stood and moved out of the way. "Stop ignoring each other because of something that's not even happening. Marinette, we are just friends just like you and I. You assuming things because of Tiana and I not taking Andre's ice cream seriously is only serving to upset her." Adrien explained for the Italian girl himself as she wasn't going to do it.

"What? But I'm not-" Marinette went to protest but Tiana snorted.

"If you weren't mad about the ice cream then why else would you be ignoring me?" Tiana asked, folding her arms over her knees as she glared at him for a moment for starting this before looking Marinette's way.

Marinette just opened and closed her mouth for a second before sighing. "I don't care about that. I just...you two are such close friends when we've all only known you for a few months. I just felt...jealous that you two could be so close already." Marinette admitted, Adrien sighing as he realized that both he and Tiana had misunderstood what was really going on.

It was all just miscommunication on all sides.

Looking to Tiana, it looked like she too understood that they both were wrong about the real cause.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you, or making you feel like you didn't want to be around the rest of us." Marinette apologized as she stood up and walked over to Tiana, sitting beside her on the couch now. "Adrien told me earlier that you didn't want to come with us tonight because you felt like I didn't want you to, but that wasn't true. I just let my jealousy get the better of me, I really hope you can forgive me." Marinette said before Tiana, instead of verbally replying, reached over and hugged her.

Smiling, Adrien sat back down on the couch on Marinette's other side as they hugged it out, happy that they were getting over this.

"You don't need to be jealous of us, by the way. After all, he has a punishment coming for that dreadful tickling assault." Tiana warned with a sinister smile his way, Adrien returning her smile with a smirk of his own.

"I doubt that." Adrien quipped back before reaching forward and grabbing the remote to un-pause the movie.

"I'll help you, it's the least we can do for him getting us to talk." Adrien turned to them with astonishment over them plotting to get him back for helping them and tormenting Tiana.

"Ooh, I want to join on this." Alya joined right in too and he gulped as the three girls all grouped together, whispering and giggling as the movie continued on.

With occasional glances his way, he knew whatever they were planning he wouldn't like it.

What has he gotten himself into?

* * *

 **I think that's about enough of the apologizing and slight angst now, don't you? Though, it's quiet fun to see the three girls plotting against the guy who got Tiana and Mari to talk and stop with their petty quarreling.**

 **About as interesting as the whole tickling debacle, since that not only is a nice little bit of fluff there but can be misconstrued as them being a lot closer than they really think they are.**

 **Good thing Marinette wasn't in the room for that part.**

 **Anyways, thank you all so much for reading as always! I have to warn that I might not update on time Wednesday, because I have doctors appointments that I have no idea how long they will last. I promise, I'll still try to update Wednesday, but it might be late if I haven't yet finished the chapter or don't get back in time.**

 **But regardless, thank you all as always for reading! I will see you next chapter!**


	35. Date

The shrill ring of an alarm pierced the night air as Chat chased after the thieving wolf, vaulting over a display case as she knocked it in front of his path while running.

The moment the doors were blown open by her, the wail of sirens also joined the sounds of the alarm as he chased her out onto the streets.

Jumping onto the roof of a parked car, he extended his staff to vault himself into the wolf only for her zip lines to shoot from her belt, changing angle and soaring into the sky after her.

Eyes on the little black pouch attached to her waist, he zoomed after her as the cheers of newly awoken citizens began to rise around them. It was past midnight, but the alarms and sirens were so loud they must have gotten their curiosity.

Chat could only wonder if they had woken Ladybug, wherever she lay sleeping, and she was now on her way to join in the fray.

At least the citizens were cheering him on, it made him more confident that he'll thwart Rogue Wolf's misdeeds.

Suddenly, Rogue went flying high into the sky with no zip lines anchored into any buildings. Changing direction, he vaulted towards the spot where he thought she would come down at.

As she came back down though, the zip lines shot out and pulled her out of his path and further away. Her laughter drifted to him on the night breeze as he continued after her.

He wished he had something like Ladybug that he could throw and pull the enemy back. But all he has is his staff.

Chat watched as she went soaring high again, and this time noticed her angle was for the river. Acting fast, he threw his extended staff into the river and perched on it just in time to grab her by the shoulders when she came crashing back down in her intent to escape in the waters.

"I knew you were falling for me, Wolfie." Chat purred as they teetered dangerously on his staff in the waters, barely seeing her golden eyes through the lenses of her goggles before she suddenly through herself into his chest.

With a yelp, his balance on his staff was lost and they both tumbled into the dark waters of the Seine.

As the cold current caught them, he tried to hold onto her arm tightly, fortunately able to grab his staff before they were pulled.

Extending it into the bottom of the river again, Rogue tried pulling free again as he shot them back out of the water and into the air, tilting them towards the banks.

Shivering, he glared at Rogue for knocking them both in. "You know I'm a cat right?" Chat asked as he shook his hair out but still kept a firm grip on her arm as they hit the ground.

"Yes I do, but I do what I need to in order to get away." Rogue replied with a smirk his way. With no other word, she threw her elbow back into his stomach, knocking the air out of him for a second before darting away from him on all fours.

Gasping for breath, he extended his staff again and vaulted after her. Once the air was back in his lungs he started running after her on all fours when she stayed on the ground.

Bounding over cars and zooming around corners, he ducked back around a corner when a metal ball bounced towards him across the pavement. Seconds later it erupted in smoke, hearing Rogue laughing down the street.

Growling, he dashed around the corner spinning his staff in front of him to blow the smoke out of his way. Just in time to see a man hole cover clink close in the street.

The sewers? Why does it have to be the sewers?

Sighing, he opened the cover back up and dropped down into it. Letting his eyes adjust, he noticed the blur of movement further down the tunnels as it rounded a corner.

Running after her, he rounded the corner in time to see her further down beginning to climb up a ladder. Just as he got to her and she was making her way up, he jumped up the ladder after her, Rogue yelping in surprise when he pushed forward and grabbed the little black bag from her waist.

"Can't slip away from me that easy." Chat teased before noticing they weren't back on the surface. They were in a cramped, dark brick room that appeared to have no other way out than the man hole they came in through.

Why did she just corner herself to him?

"Off." Before he could do much more he was shoved back and into the brick of the wall, Rogue whirling on him and trying to snatch the bag back from him. Instead, he took launched the bag into the air and grabbed it by the strings with his teeth, using his free hands to grab her wrists and flip their positions, pinning her arms above her on the wall.

"Where are we?" Chat asked after pinning both her wrists under one hand and taking the bag from his teeth with his now free one.

Unzipping the pocket on his chest, he tucked the bag inside as he kept his eyes on the wolf in front of him in the dark room.

"I have no idea, I thought it was going to bring me to the surface again." Rogue replied, but Chat didn't really believe her because of how her golden eyes twinkled beneath the lenses of her goggles.

"Let's try that answer again, purretty wolf." Chat purred and winked at her, leaning back when she tried to get a hold of his tail with her own so she can't have any advantage over him.

"Why? When I was being truthful the first time. I don't have night vision like you do, kitty cat." Rogue continued but he just smiled at her before reaching up and moving her goggles away from her eyes.

"You don't now that I've done that." Chat corrected her, but only earned a flash of her pearly white canines at him in response. "Fine, since you won't answer me, I'll just leave with this." Chat patted his pocket where he had the recovered ring. The same one she stole last time and obviously wanted to do so again.

"Oh you know I can't let you do that, chaton." The way she purred his nickname from Ladybug made him smile a little more, stepping closer to her and letting his arm rest against the brick beside her as he looked down at her.

"And how do you plan to stop me, Wolf?" Chat asked in a low voice, reminding her he had her wrists pinned by squeezing them gently. "You have nothing I want. I could just let you enjoy the horrid stench of the sewer and the darkness." Chat said before feeling the fleeting touch of her tail against his outer thigh.

Moving his own, she smirked up at him even though he knew she likely couldn't see him. "I really have nothing you want, Chat Noir?" Rogue asked as he watched the way one of her canines dug into her lower lip tantalizingly.

Looking back up at her eyes, he couldn't help himself but think that this woman in front of him spent many nights with him just talking and relaxing. But when she wanted to, could be the conniving wolf that everyone else sees.

He wouldn't lie, he really enjoyed the little tidbits of flirting she did. Like biting into her lower lip like she was. It was nice just to feel, somewhat, desirable. At least just to flirt and have a little fun.

But he knew better than to fall for her distractions, and instead leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against her own in what other countries have called an Eskimo kiss. Pulling back, her face was a darker shade in his night vision than normal. The only way he could know she was blushing from his action.

"Have a nice night, purretty wolf." Chat cooed to her before letting go of her wrists and stepping away. Turning to the exit, he noticed how his own heart was beating quickly from his own actions. Had he really just done that?

What is he saying, she started it. It's her own fault it happened. It's not like he did anything really out there like kiss her. She's the one that tried to distract him by flirting with him, he just did it better.

Vaguely, he was aware that her own breathing had hitched from his actions as well. But jumping back down the hole they came up from, he started to walk away and leave her to herself.

Which didn't exactly go as planned as she shouted after him when he was maybe twenty feet away from the ladder before jumping back down after him.

Once he heard her boots smacking the ground behind him, he took off running down the tunnels away from her with a laugh. For once the wolf is chasing the cat, it's about time for a change!

Making sure the bag in his pocket was secure, he escaped through the nearest man hole back to the surface, happy for some light again. His enjoyment didn't last long as he heard her on the ladder behind him and grabbed his staff, vaulting into the air away from her.

Chat didn't get far when the sirens of police began to drift towards him again, looking back to see Rogue was now gone.

Well, she gave up fast.

Though after looking back in the direction of the sirens, he saw the red blur that let him know Ladybug was swinging through the city. She must have seen Ladybug before he did and ran.

That's still odd for her, considering she hasn't been one to run before until she has what she came for.

He'll get to the bottom of it another night. Right now, he wants to return this ring again.

* * *

Tiana looked over Nathaniel's shoulder as he sketched in what he must have thought was privacy, but forgot that some of them came back to class early. How hadn't he heard her walking up the steps?

She was more interested though in the little comic he was drawing, or more so the fact that it was revolving around those sweetheart ice creams.

His usual character to represent himself was still being drawn, but from the way he was drawing it it made her feel like the character was conflicted, as he looked between a nervous girl that looked like Marinette in one panel, and a perky one standing with a blond boy in the other.

Then the next panel showed the three different ice creams, reminding her yet again that her ice cream could have been about Adrien.

Yes, she felt bad since she knew she wasn't giving as much of her attention to helping Nathaniel figure out if he liked Mari more or herself. She's let her busy schedule and conflicting emotions about that whole sweethearts thing distract her, when she should also be making sure Nathaniel is alright.

That he's figuring out how he feels, since recently it seems he's getting closer to Mari than herself.

As she continued looking at his comic as he sketched, he suddenly looked back and saw her. With a startled gasp, he slapped a folder over the artwork and nearly flew out of his seat.

"Hi to you too." Tiana greeted with a soft smile as Nathaniel glared at her for startling him.

Some people are just so easy to sneak up on.

"Why do you do that?" Nathaniel asked as she slid into the seat beside him, still smiling at him.

"Well how else would I see your artwork?" Tiana asked back, before Nathaniel reluctantly moved the folder off of his comic in progress.

"Did you notice that yours looked a lot like Adrien?" Nathaniel asked quietly, almost as if he was afraid to even ask.

"I did, but that was after I thought it looked like Chat Noir. Honestly, I don't really know how much to believe of it when it looks like two separate people, Nat." Tiana admitted with a shrug of her shoulders, before nudging him in the elbow with her arm. "But yours and Marinette's though, that was a definite surprise." Tiana pointed out, Nathaniel blushing at the reminder as he kept his eyes on the paper in front of him.

"I still don't know how to feel. We're better friends now, but it's just..." Nathaniel trailed off, so she waited patiently for him to finish. "I know how she feels about Adrien. I know that he's probably going to give dating her a chance when he realizes he likes her. I don't want to have false hope for something that might not happen." Nathaniel explained, Tiana feeling bad for him as he even assumed they would get together by how he said when instead of if.

"Nathaniel, do you really still have feelings for her? Are they rising or fading away?" Tiana asked, getting her answer when he sent her a sad look.

"They're not going away. I thought they would, because if I really cared about her I wouldn't have started having feelings for you." Nathaniel explained, and she couldn't argue with him there. Isn't that the main clue of it being love, that when you start to really feel it every other person just fades to the back in comparison to that one person?

"They might not get together. I mean, Adrien is taking time to focus on himself right now because of that mystery girl. You never know, but I think you should try telling her how you're feeling." Tiana admitted, which earned a dry chuckle from the red head.

"She already knows. She's known for three years." Nathaniel reminded her of the time when he had been Akumatized years ago because his crush on her was revealed.

"I mean tell her again. Tell her it isn't going away." Tiana corrected him before noticing the way he was just staring at her. "What?" Tiana asked before he looked back at his comic.

"I told you. Not much help that did." Nathaniel said rather negatively. Frowning, she placed her hand on his forearm comfortingly.

"I'm sorry. I did promise I'll try though, that we'll see if there could be anything there." Tiana reminded him.

"Instead you're busy with rehearsals and Lover Boy." Her frown deepened at his response to her. He wasn't wrong...

"Alright." Tiana pulled away from him and reached for her bag. "I promised, so today I don't have rehearsals after school because she's doing set designs. You and I are going to go out and do something." Tiana said as she texted Grandfather to let him know she would possibly be home later than usual.

"W-wait what? I didn't-" Tiana shushed him before pulling up the web browser on her phone.

"We can go to the Louvre, like you've been wanting to. I'm not much on drawing or painting, but I do enjoy pretty things." Tiana reminded with a soft smile that seemed to do the trick of easing his nerves back down.

"Are you sure you really want to?" Nathaniel asked, giving him a firm nod of her head in response. "Don't do it just because you feel bad." Nathaniel said as she noticed their classmates were beginning to return to class now too.

"I'm not. I want to go with you, so that we can both see if something could be between us. I've never been on a date before, so excuse me if I don't exactly know the right things to go out and do or act." Tiana pointed out with a shrug before noticing the way he turned red in the face again.

"It-it's a date?" Nathaniel asked before trying to hide his face from her by looking back down at his comic.

"Well what else would you call it when it's meant to figure out if two people want to date one another?" Tiana asked with a cheeky smile at him when he looked back at her again, before dropping the conversation as Alya and Marinette walked in. It would do neither of them any good if Alya found out, she would tease relentlessly and probably try to turn it into a double or triple date.

Class began again minutes later, and throughout Tiana noticed the way Nathaniel kept glancing her way. How as time passed he seemed to accept that what they would be doing would in fact be a date, if his relaxing posture meant anything.

Before long, class was coming to an end. Grabbing her things, she walked down the steps towards the door with Nathaniel right behind her.

As she got to her locker though, she felt like there were eyes on her. Closing her locker, she was not surprised that Adrien was leaning on the one next to it with a friendly smile. "You still up to playing some video games today? Nino said he might join us after he helps Alya with her new blog post." Adrien said, reminding her that she had made plans with him to play today as they hadn't in a while.

She must shown that she realized her blunder, because his smile fell. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot about that and made plans with Nathaniel to go to the Louvre. We can later tonight if we're still awake." Tiana offered, feeling even more guilty as he no longer had that excited glint in his eyes.

"It's fine, Kitten." Adrien gave her a small half smile that didn't quiet reach his eyes. "You and Nat finally though, huh?" That half smile turned into a small teasing one.

"I did promise I'd give him a chance. First date though." Tiana said with a little chuckle to try to get it out of her mind that this wasn't just an outing with her friend who had feelings with her, but her first somewhat legitimate date.

Adrien seemed surprised by her statement too even. "It's an actual date, not just you two hanging out?" Adrien asked, and before he could give her a chance to reply obviously had more to say. "Wait, you've never gone out on a date with anyone before?" Adrien asked as well with a curious tilt of his head against the locker he was leaning on.

"Yes, it's an actual date. No, I've never dated before or any of that. I thought I told you that I was basically a prisoner before I came to Paris." Tiana joked about her previous lack of socialization to try to keep the memories at the back of her mind.

Adrien surprisingly looked troubled after that though, but before she could ask if everything was alright Nathaniel walked over to them. Looking between her and Adrien, he smiled her way. "Ready?" Nathaniel asked, surprisingly not as nervous as she was expecting he would be.

"Have fun, you two." Adrien said, Tiana turning back to him to see a smile that looked a little forced before he walked away.

Was he disappointed because she had to reschedule their plans to play video games because of her date with Nathaniel? Or was it something else?

"Did I interrupt something?" Nathaniel asked once Adrien was out of sight.

"We had made plans to play video games today. I forgot when I made plans with you." Tiana admitted, the guilt already starting to settle right at home in her stomach. She would talk to him later after her and Nathaniel are done.

Nathaniel frowned before they started walking towards the door. "If you want, you can go do that with him. You two made plans first." Nathaniel said but Tiana could hear the change in his voice. How it was quieter like he hoped she wouldn't bail on him.

"That's not fair to you. We made plans to go out, we're going to do that. Adrien and I can play video games later." Tiana said with a dismissive wave at the idea of blowing him off. It wasn't fair to Adrien either, but she'd make it up to him.

Going to the Louvre was a little odd considering the fact that the last time she had been there, she had stolen the ring. The same ring she tried stealing once again days ago that Chat Noir managed to take back from her.

She didn't want to think about that flirty cat right now.

Walking around the museum, she almost felt nervous. Before remembering she looked nothing like Rogue Wolf, so there was no chance any of the security guards would recognize she was the one who broke in that night.

It was nice spending time alone with Nathaniel though, they didn't get to do this as much anymore since their group usually hung out all together.

He kept his notebook tucked at his side as they explored the exhibits, occasionally opening it and looking between it and a painting they would be looking at before tucking it back away. "Maybe someday your work will be on these walls." Tiana mused as they walked towards the Egyptian exhibit, Nathaniel snorting at the comment.

"I wish. I'm nowhere near as good an artist as those who have work here." Nathaniel contested her compliment, but his cheeks were a light pink to let her know he appreciated the compliment.

"You'll get there though. You've got plenty of years to keep working on your artwork. Da Vinci didn't get his recognition until he was much older, same for Michelangelo." Tiana reminded him of some great artists, noticing the way his eyes lit up more at her words.

"You really think I could be as great as them one day?" Nathaniel asked, stopping so they were stood in the hallway together now as passersby just ignored their presence.

"Of course, I've seen your work. I'm sure everyone at school would agree with me too, minus maybe Mendeleiev due to her own little grudge against you." Tiana teased him tight a light smile, patting his shoulder as he just stared back at her for a second.

For half a second, she thought he was going to do something more when she noticed his gaze shift from her eyes to what she assumed to be her lips. But he stopped himself and instead waved a hand ahead of them to allow her to continue leading the way.

They just enjoyed their time together for a while, looking at all the different exhibits and joking around. For a while, she even forgot that this was supposed to be a date. They were both just having so much fun and acting like the friends that they are that it completely slipped her mind.

That is, until his hand brushed against her own in passing as they were walking for the exit.

Nathaniel stiffened beside her, and she knew she probably didn't look much different. But as she looked up from their hands that had brushed together and met his eye, for some reason instead of seeing turquoise she saw bright green for half a second.

Why would such a simple gesture make her think of him? He's just some tom cat that's supposed to stop her from her deeds around Paris.

She's been trying to forget about those piercing green eyes for days after what he did last time she saw him too. She wanted to enjoy this somewhat date with her friend. Slash possible date?

Clearing his throat, Nathaniel walked ahead and opened the door for her to hold it open with a small smile.

Smiling back, she walked out into the dimming streets of Paris with him.

"That was nice. I haven't had a chance to see the Louvre since I got here." Tiana said as they began walking down the street in the direction of their homes.

"I go often, but I'm usually alone." Nathaniel admitted before turning his eyes to her fully. "Thank you, for making these plans for us to go out today." Nathaniel thanked her and she smiled at him again.

"I don't know why you're thanking me. It was technically your idea, since you said you wanted us to go to the Louvre together." Tiana reminded him before realizing the conflicted look was in his eyes again. "What's wrong?" Tiana asked, nudging her shoulder against his own as he looked away.

"It didn't...really feel like we were on a date if I'm being honest. It felt like just spending time with a really good friend." Nathaniel said as he locked eyes with her once again.

"Is that not what it's supposed to be like?" Tiana asked, genuinely unsure of what it was meant to feel like to go out on a date due to her inexperience. "Just being comfortable around each other?" Tiana continued before realizing Nathaniel must not have known either that this was her first attempt at a date by his surprised look.

"You didn't tell me that..." Trailing off, he gained a red tint to his face. "This was my first actual date too, I don't really know. I thought... I don't really know what I thought it was supposed to feel like." Nathaniel admitted with a sigh, Tiana frowning as they slowed in their walk before eventually stopping all together.

"Did you enjoy it?" Tiana asked, earning a nod of the head from the red head beside her. "Then that's the important thing, isn't it? I mean, it's different for everyone. You can't count on what it could be because it could be different for you." Tiana explained before they began walking once more.

Silence overtook them for a few minutes, a mixture of comfortable and awkward as Nathaniel kept glancing at her as though he wanted to say something, but would choose not to at the last second.

Once they arrived at his house, she decided to just ask what he was wanting to say to her. "Are you alright?" Tiana asked as they stood on the sidewalk.

"I really had fun today." Nathaniel said instead of answering her question. "It's rare now that we get to just do something alone together because of how busy you are, and now that I'm talking with everyone again and we're all hanging out as a group." Nathaniel reminded her of what she already knew.

"Which I'm very proud of you for." Tiana pointed out with a smile.

"I want to ask you something though before you leave." Nathaniel revealed, his face turning a light pink again to let her know it was a hard question for him. "We haven't talked about it in a while, but did us going out today...change anything?" Nathaniel asked quietly, Tiana confused for a second before realizing what he was really asking.

That he was asking if her feelings for him had changed from just being friends yet.

"I don't know." Tiana answered honestly, not really having thought about how it would be at all while they were out together if they weren't just friends. "We could try going out more, but what about you and Marinette?" Tiana asked, and at that question his face went from pink to full blown red.

"Let's talk about her and I a different day, please." Well that proves that his feelings for Marinette definitely aren't going away, at least.

"Alright, you're right." Tiana agreed to his desire to not talk about it. As she was about to say more, a man on a bicycle suddenly zoomed past them on the sidewalk, nearly knocking her over if Nathaniel hadn't grabbed her and pulled her to him and out of the way.

Looking back at him, he glared in the direction of the bicyclist before looking back at her, just then realizing that they were basically inches from each other. His eyes darted down again as his face tinted pink again.

Her breath caught in her throat as she knew what he was thinking of doing. As he leaned into her, her heart pounded in her ears. But just before he could kiss her like she knew he wanted to, she saw that flash of green instead again, turning her face away from him.

"Nat." Tiana sighed, knowing that he shouldn't. "It's not fair to you or I if you do what you're about to. We both need to figure out what we're feeling." Tiana reminded, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

His gaze was sad for a moment but he nodded and stepped away from her. "I'm sorry." Nathaniel apologized, and she immediately felt guilty for turning him away. She knew he was confused, but it didn't help to turn him down.

"You don't need to apologize. Maybe one day, but tonight isn't the right time yet." Tiana reminded with a small smile at him. "I really enjoyed today though, we could go out again like this if you still feel like it." Tiana offered, this time earning a genuine smile from the boy that stood in front of her.

"Of course, let me know when you have free time to do it again. Hopefully Alya and Nino wont tag along." They both laughed at the thought of a double date with the couple of their group. "I should get inside and start on my homework. I'll see you tomorrow." Nathaniel said once their laughter subsided.

Before he could escape, she gave him a hug before heading off herself.

Walking home alone gave her time to think on the events of the day though. On the fact that those green eyes kept haunting her at inconvenient times, unsure of why he was haunting her.

She was out with Nathaniel on what was technically her first date, albeit a confusing one in the end. It was a good time, she didn't lie when she said she enjoyed herself. She didn't want to think about that cat that nuzzled her days ago.

As she got closer to home, she remembered then that she had also canceled on Adrien to go out with Nathaniel. The guilt returned before she pulled her phone out and sent him a quick text. " _You still up to play tonight?_ " Sending it, she turned onto her street.

Once inside, she ignored the glares from Beau over not calling him for a ride before heading upstairs to her room. Grandfather would be informed that she was home by other staff, since she already knew Beau wasn't going to tell him. Beau disliked him almost as much as he did her.

"Long day." Verro complained once her bedroom door was closed. "Need food." With that, he darted out of his hiding spot in her shirt and to the mini-fridge.

Rolling her eyes at the Kwami, she checked her phone to find no response from Lover Boy. Walking over to her bed, she laid down as Verro gorged himself on her desk.

"Want to explain that whole almost kiss?" Verro asked after a few minutes of silence.

"No, I turned him down. There's no more to talk about." Tiana said but none the less, Verro snorted with laughter through his eating.

"Sure there's-" Verro cut short and she sat up on her bed as she heard a knock from her balcony, spying the shadow through the curtains in the shape of the man she really didn't want to see after what happened last time. Then again, that was Rogue he did that to.

Standing up, Verro darted into her shirt again to hide as she walked over to the door.

Pulling aside the curtain, her gaze met those haunting green eyes once more. She didn't know if she really wanted to, but she opened the door anyways.

" _Bonsoir, ma belle_." Chat greeted as soon as the door opened, winking at her as he walked into her room once more.

* * *

 **Ooh, kitty shows up after her date. I wonder how that will go. But let's talk about that first date that didn't even feel like a date to them.**

 **...I don't really have much to say to that one either. But that's probably because I feel bad for updating late today. I had this chapter edited and ready before I left, but then forgot to hit publish. Sorry!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, as always! I will see you next chapter!**


	36. Devilish Cat

Looking back, she should have known that Chat Noir would show up. It seemed to happen every time after she was out alone after dark, like she had been. To solidify her suspicions, he sent her a small knowing smile. "So, what happened to staying out of trouble? I saw you walking home alone, _mon cher_." Chat pointed out as she closed the balcony door behind him.

"Do you spy on me, Chat Noir?" Tiana asked teasingly, watching as he walked over to her couch and sat down while she stayed standing by the door.

Casting her a lazy smile, he patted the couch beside him and she walked over to join him on the couch. "No, _mon cher_ , I don't spy on you. I was on pawtrol and saw you, out with a boy no less when I first saw you." Chat said with a smirk held on her that showed his pointy canine teeth to her.

Chuckling softly, she turned her body to face his on the couch as she leaned her arm on the back of it. "So you were watching my date then?" Tiana asked, watching as he turned on the couch to face her as well and propped one leg up on the other.

"Well, I was doing my due diligence and making sure everything was alright. I left when I saw the way he protected you from that bicyclist, I had to go have a talking to with that guy. He should know better than to be on the sidewalks." Chat tried to change the subject, so she chuckled a little more at his diversion tactics.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't stick around then. Wouldn't want to make you worry, Knight in Kitty Armor." Tiana teased before noticing the way the light in his eyes dimmed a little, but he kept up the smile.

"You mean with that kiss? I'm a little hurt, _Belle_ , I thought it was me you wanted." Chat teased her right back and her face flared with warmth at the insinuation.

Why did she have to see that nuzzle he did to her as Rogue just from him teasing about that?

"I didn't kiss him." Tiana corrected, but Chat just snorted before facing his body away from her and leaning back into the couch.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's perfectly natural to kiss the person you care about." Chat said before leaning his head back on her couch.

Tiana rolled her eyes at the flirty tom cat before facing away from him as well. "I wouldn't let him kiss me. It's not fair to do that when he likes my friend too and I don't even know if I really like him. This was only my first date, but it didn't even feel like one for either of us." Tiana said before pulling her phone out of her pocket to see if Adrien texted her back yet.

Still, there was no response. She couldn't help but frown at the screen and wonder if he was upset with her.

"Hey hey why the frown?" Tiana looked up to see Chat now closer than he had been when she looked away from him. He looked down at her phone before back up at her. "A friend?" Chat asked as she put her phone away.

"I forgot that I had made plans with a different friend today when I made plans to go out with the other. I feel like I've probably disappointed him because of bailing on him. I tried texting him when I was walking home, but no response." Tiana revealed to the kitty hero beside her.

"I'm sure he's not disappointed. He's probably more happy for you that you got to go out on your first date today. All of your friends sound understanding, so I'm sure he's just busy and can't get back to you at the moment." Chat said with a comforting pat of his clawed hand on her knee.

Tiana just stared at his hand on her knee for a moment. Why did he have to come tonight? Why couldn't it have been any other night?

She was so confused on just being near him right now because of how she reacted to that nuzzle days ago. Because of how, when he did it, she felt like electricity entered her veins. How her breath stopped and she could literally hear her own heart beating. How she could feel his own breath against her skin before he pulled away and fled from her.

Why did she react that way? Why didn't she just tease back like she usually did, or at least shove him away?

Why did Chat Noir, of all people, have to have that effect on her?

"Hey, smile for me, _mon cher_." Chat lifted her gaze from her knee up to him by reaching over with his other hand and leading her gaze up with the tip of one clawed finger. When their eyes met, he smiled at her in attempt to make her smile back.

Hopefully he wouldn't notice that her own smile back was forced.

"Now come on, that's not genuine." Well, she tried at least to make it look real. "If I have to, I'll make you smile again." Chat warned with a devilish smile, sincerely making her wonder if he was in fact the devil in costume.

"I highly doubt that, you're too much of a gentleman to force me to do anything." Tiana replied with a smirk of her own, before realizing he just got his way. His devilish smile grew ten fold as her smirk fell away.

"No but I got you to smile without force. Now come on, let's talk about something else that won't make you frown. Like that "kiss" with your date." Chat said while punctuating the air with quotes.

"Wasn't a kiss." Tiana corrected him, but he just continued smiling her way like he didn't believe it didn't happen. "Please, you really think my first kiss would be with someone who isn't even sure if I'm the one he likes more?" Tiana asked with a dismissive wave at the idea itself.

Chat was silent, and upon looking his way she noticed the surprise in his face. "First kiss? My dear, you haven't had your first yet?" Chat asked, leaning down a little closer to her face with a mixture of incredulous and surprise in his green eyes.

Tiana looked away as she felt heat rise to her face again, but that obviously was the wrong move as Chat Noir chuckled beside her. "I spent much of my childhood alone, Chat Noir. What time would there be for any romance? It was bound to happen soon anyways, what with the play having me kiss the beast in the end." Tiana said with another dismissive wave because she knew it would likely be out of her control.

Like most things are when it comes to her Mother.

"Your first kiss should be with someone you care for, not staged for the amusement of others." Chat replied with surprising annoyance in his voice, Tiana looking back at him in time to see him look away from her.

Tiana smiled a little at the chivalrous devil beside her. "Don't get yourself annoyed, it's not like it effects you. You can't protect everyone all the time, Knight in Kitty Armor." Tiana reminded him of what she had to come to terms with when she was still the General Wolf.

"No, but I can at least try to help. Do you even have a say in it?" Chat asked, turning his eyes back to her with faux relaxation. It's easy to see his annoyance once she already knows of it's existence.

"No." Tiana admitted with a shrug, before watching as Chat turned himself on the couch once more to fully face her.

"You should kiss someone you care about then, before you're forced to kiss your partner in the play." Chat said honestly, before suddenly smirking devilishly at her once again. "You know, I do still have a little-"

"No." Tiana cut him off before he could even insinuate the idea of her kissing him, leveling him with a flat stare. His cat ears flattened against his head as he pouted his bottom lip out a little at her.

"You didn't have to be so harsh about it." Chat muttered before turning himself away from her once more, folding his arms across his chest to add to his pouting gesture.

Tiana didn't want to feel bad, she didn't want to give in to his pouting. But it seemed as though he genuinely wanted to help, even though he's just a flirty tom cat.

"Fine, what about any other boys you know then?" Chat asked, still facing away from her but turning his head to look at her with a flat stare of his own.

Great, now she felt bad for being so quick to shut him down.

"I'm sorry." Tiana said before turning away from him once again. She pulled out her phone once again, hoping to see a response only for there to be none.

Chat sighed noticeably beside her before her phone was suddenly taken from between her fingers by the cat and placed on the coffee table in front of her. "You don't need to apologize. I'm used to being turned down by now, _belle_." Chat said with a little hiss to his tone at the mention of his romantic downfalls.

Maybe if he didn't pine for a Ladybug he'd have better luck.

"Besides, I wouldn't kiss you _ma belle_. No offense to you, but I don't believe in kissing the lady before the first date." Chat leveled her with a little smile, but that's not what she was paying attention to at the moment. More so the sinking feeling she got in her stomach at his own turning down the idea of kissing her.

It's not like she wanted to anyways, but why does it make her feel sick just to acknowledge that he wasn't interested in it? He's the flirty cat of Paris. He flirted with her alter ego.

What was wrong with this version of herself?

"Tiana?" Tiana looked over at him upon hearing her name be called, Chat looking her way with slight concern before she forced a smile his way.

"I would expect no less from a gentleman like you, Chat Noir." Tiana replied to his previous comment about not kissing her. But his concerned look in his bright green eyes didn't fade away too much.

Chat opened his mouth to talk, but there was a trio of beeps from behind him. Of course, the bug would interrupt when he's here.

Chat pulled his staff out with a furrow of his brow upon looking at the flip up screen before returning it to his lower back. "Time to go?" Tiana asked before Chat scooted closer to her again.

"Not yet. She can wait for me, it's not important." Chat said as he placed his hand on her knee once again. "Did I upset you by saying I wouldn't kiss you, my dear?" Chat asked, completely serious as he looked down at his hand on her knee before back up at her own eyes.

Tiana snorted at the question. "No, no offense Kitty but I don't want to kiss a guy that's not interested in me." Tiana replied, taking his own no offense phrase to use against him now.

Chat just stared at her for a moment, silent as she felt the urge to look away from his intense stare. After a little longer of him just staring at her, he cracked a little smile at her before removing his hand from her knee. "I wouldn't assume things, _chérie_. You are certainly interesting, after all." Chat purred before moving away from her, Tiana fortunate enough that she could suppress the rising heat to her face that time.

Flirty tom cat.

"I don't want to bother you too much, so I'll let you be tonight. I'm glad you had a lovely first date with your...friend?" Chat questioned, Tiana nodding her head at the question. "Purrhaps soon I'll come take you on one of our own, I did promise to show you Paris." Chat reminded as he stood from her couch and stretched his back.

He's leaving already?

"You're leaving already?" Tiana asked, standing up to follow him when he made towards the balcony doors. That was the wrong thing to ask at the time though, as he grinned at her once he turned to her again.

"Will you miss me, _chérie_?" Chat asked, leaning a hand on her closed balcony doors.

When she didn't respond for a moment and he took a brave step closer to her, she chuckled at his persistence. "Your job is your priority, Chat Noir. I'll see you again, I'm sure. Since you think I'm interesting, after all." Tiana reminded him of his own words.

"Don't forget the taking you out on the town part." Chat also reminded her with a tilt of his head and a cute little smile at her that looked befitting an angel, not this devilish cat.

"Well if you're being serious about that, then you'd better make those plans soon. Or you just might lose my attention to someone else." Tiana taunted him, Chat's smile twitching away for a moment before he seemed to force it.

"I'd hope I'm interesting enough to keep your eyes on me, beautiful." Chat mused, Tiana unable to fight off the blush this time as he turned away to open her balcony doors. "I mean, I have heard rumors though about how you think of me." Chat turned to her with a sly smile that made her heart leap.

What rumors? What has he heard?

"What are you talking about?" Tiana questioned, but he just smiled at her before walking out the door. Following after him, he was perched on the railing of her balcony when she walked out.

"By the way, I know a lot of ladies of Paris think I'm purretty handsome, but I am flattered. I won't deny that you're pawsitively cute yourself, _bellissima_." Her breath caught in her throat at that one word he spoke in Italian, that combining with his own knowing of what she said about him making her blush heatedly as he smiled back at her.

"Who told you that?" Tiana asked, before remembering that Alya had her Ladyblog. The blog which she hadn't read since the job on the Louvre. Had she told all of her readers what she said?!

"You do know that you're not the only one of your group of friends that I've met, right?" Chat asked instead of replying to her directly. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Chat assured her with a wink, before leaping off the railing in front of her suddenly.

With a bow, he took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it once more before vaulting off of the balcony and away into the night.

Tiana didn't hesitate to turn and lock the balcony doors quickly behind her, Verro bursting into laughter the moment the curtains were drawn and flying out of his hiding spot.

"He knows about your saying he was cute! So much for keeping things secret!" Verro cried through his hysterical laughter, Tiana turning to face the little wolf as he rolled around on top of her bed.

Great, Verro isn't going to let this one go for a while.

* * *

Adrien twisted his ring around his finger, staring at his phone on the desk in front of him.

What had he been thinking? Why did he say those things to her?

He flirts a lot when he's Chat Noir, but why would he try to offer to kiss her? She's his good friend!

And she's probably going to be going out with Nathaniel. That's the other thing.

He knows when he flirts as Chat Noir that he's not typically being a hundred percent serious, but would she? Would she know it was all just fun and that he wouldn't actually try to kiss her?

Tiana's his friend, he couldn't do that. Why would he even try to offer to?!

He looked at his phone again as he twisted his ring one more time around his finger. "You twist it enough you might twist your actual finger." Plagg spoke up from the back of his chair where he was laying.

"Why did I say that?" Adrien asked himself, leaning over his desk and burying his face in his hands.

He couldn't even reply to her text because he was so embarrassed. Yes, it was Chat Noir and not he as Adrien, but it didn't make any less of an impact on him.

"Maybe because subconsciously you actually want to do it." Plagg replied to him even though it wasn't a question for him.

"Plagg, don't tease me right now about this." Adrien muttered, just wanting to try to think this over before he finally replied to Tiana with an excuse on why he couldn't reply sooner.

He felt bad not replying yet, because he saw how remorseful she felt about bailing on him. He told her the truth though in his hypothetical, he wasn't upset with her for making other plans.

He was happy for her that she was doing as planned and giving Nathaniel a chance, but at the time when she first told him he did feel a little...upset? He doesn't know honestly how he felt, he just didn't like how he felt about it and tried to ignore it.

He was happy for her, he wanted her to be happy and have fun. Even though he felt a little saddened that she wasn't doing it with him.

Then his black cat luck had to get the better of him, as always. She didn't seem too fazed by what he said to her when he saw her as Chat, fortunately. But he did notice how something seemed off about her. How she kept looking away from him, getting embarrassed when she usually didn't get that way. How she actually blushed, which was an extreme rarity for her.

Was it because of how he was coming off to her? Or was something else going on that she wouldn't tell him as Chat?

Adrien took a deep breath before pulling his face out of his hands and picking his phone up. It was nearing midnight, but maybe she would still be awake. He was just glad Ladybug covered the rest of his patrol for him tonight.

He's grateful that she's listening now and acknowledges that he needs to just think at times instead of focus on the patrol.

Opening the chat bubble marked with a kitten, he noticed she only left him one message. She tried to see if he wanted to play still after her date?

Fighting his rising guilt over making her wait on him, he typed back to her. " _I'm sorry, Kitten. I was busy with my practices. We can do it again another day if you have time. How was your date?_ "

He already knew how her date went, but he wanted to see if she would tell him differently as Adrien than she did him as Chat Noir.

His phone buzzed a minute or two later, not hesitating even a moment to open the chat bubble. " _It's fine, Lover Boy. You're busy._ " That was all he got in response? Was she upset because he didn't reply sooner, or was this something else.

" _What's wrong?_ " Adrien stood from his chair and walked over to his bed, sitting down to wait for a response as Plagg floated over and took up a spot on a pillow to go to sleep.

" _Nothing's wrong, I'm just tired._ " Had he woken her? It was late. But then again she openly admits to him that she doesn't typically sleep before midnight.

" _Did I wake you?_ " Adrien turned to face Plagg as the Kwami snickered from the pillow.

"Don't stay up too late with your Kitten, kid." Plagg teased him before curling into a ball like he does before going to sleep for the night.

Glaring at him for a moment for the teasing, his phone buzzed and drew his attention once more. " _No, but can we talk tomorrow? I'm not in a talking mood right now._ " Adrien frowned at his screen at that one message.

Was it because of him? Had he upset her? Or had something happened during her date with Nathaniel that she hadn't told him about.

He really wanted to know, he really wanted to help her. It made his stomach turn knowing any of his friends were upset, but for some reason knowing that she was made his chest twinge painfully too.

" _You can talk to me, Tiana. You know that. I know something's wrong, I could help._ " He didn't receive a response for a little while, so he started to assume she might have just gone to bed or put her phone elsewhere to not have to talk to him.

He probably deserved it, making her wait so long just to hear back from him.

But...no he didn't deserve it. He's taken longer to reply to messages from his friends before, and he hasn't felt guilty about it. But why now does he when it comes to her?

It's probably because of the fact that he saw the regret in her eyes when she told him how she felt bad for bailing on their plans to play video games tonight. He really wasn't upset with her for it, it was easy to reschedule.

Even though they had increasingly busy schedules.

When fifteen minutes passed with no response, he stood from his bed to go change so he could try to go to bed himself. That's probably what she had done, she was tired after all.

Coming back to bed after finishing changing and brushing his teeth, he noticed his phone was flashing against the covers to let him know he had a message. Taking a moment to pull back said covers and lay down, he turned on his screen to see her response at last.

" _I know I can talk to you, Lover Boy. But it's just something I'm not quiet ready to talk about with anyone else right now. I just want to try to forget about it for the moment._ " What could possibly be bothering her so much that she doesn't want to talk about it and just forget it?

Sighing through his nose, as he wouldn't push her to tell him, he typed a reply back. " _Are you alright, at least?_ " That was the important thing, after all.

He knew her answer before even opening the next text just because of how quick it came. " _Not really. I'm just confused right now, I just need time to sort through it myself._ " Adrien didn't hesitate to hit the green button beside their chat conversation.

It rang for so long he thought she wouldn't answer. Just as he was about to hang up himself though, there was a click that let him know she had answered. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong, Kitten. Just talk to me, I'll help you however I can." Adrien said after she greeted him in her native Italian tongue.

"Adrien you have-"

"Don't try to convince me otherwise." Adrien cut her short before she could try to tell him any reason she could think of for not letting him. "Here, how's about we talk about your date if it's not to do with that. Something to distract you." Adrien offered, silence overtaking the line for a moment.

His heart skipped surprisingly when her faint laughter entered the phone, finding himself smiling just at knowing he could make her laugh.

* * *

Marinette had to cover her mouth to keep from squealing when Tiana handed her box seat tickets for the performance. She may not have screamed, but she did throw her arms around Tiana in one of the biggest hugs she's ever given. "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" Marinette squealed that time as Tiana just laughed in front of her.

"I don't know why you're so excited. Honestly, it's not the going to be the last one. She already has next year planned before this one even premiers." Tiana revealed as Marinette finally let go of her and looked down at the opening night tickets that Tiana had gifted her.

She gave her enough for not only herself but for Papa and Maman as well. She could never express how happy and grateful she was to Tiana for giving her something that she knew her whole family will enjoy.

"Oh, really quick though." Tiana grinned slyly at her and she felt her giddiness ebb a little with worry. "Adrien and his father have the box next to yours." Tiana revealed, running away when Marinette's jaw dropped at the news before she took off running after the girl who was trying to set her up to be close to the boy she loved.

"What's going on?" Alya asked as they raced past her and into the classroom, Tiana laughing the entire way before she dove into her own seat beside Nathaniel, seemingly thinking she's safe from her.

"Oh come on, be happy! It's not like the boxes are that close to each other. I had the tickets I gave you before I knew that his father had reserved that box, but think of it as a good thing. Now you can see him, sorta." Tiana tilted her head with that last word in a small shrug.

"You're going to make me look like a stalker." Marinette complained, hands smacking down on her table as she noticed Nathaniel looking between them in confusion.

"No, you do a good enough job of that yourself." Tiana teased her, laughing when Marinette went to try to seize her out of the seat and ducking into Nathaniel's side to hide.

What's this? Nathaniel doesn't seem too bothered by how close they are, has something changed?

She heard that they went to the Louvre together a week ago, but she was just letting them have some time to decide if they would tell her directly.

She felt a little disappointed though, looking at them as Tiana teasingly stuck her tongue out at her while hiding against Nathaniel. Why? Was it because they were making progress while her own with Adrien seemed to just be frozen?

Yeah, that had to be it.

"What are you two doing?" Marinette whirled to face Adrien as he stopped beside his own seat, looking up at them with amusement in his gorgeous green eyes.

"Nothing." Marinette replied quickly, only for Adrien to snort and start laughing before he sat down at his seat.

"I gave Mari box seat tickets to the performance." Tiana answered Adrien this time as Marinette turned back to her to see her no longer hiding against Nathaniel from her.

"She gave all of us tickets? Girl, how do you keep getting all these?" Alya asked with a laugh as she walked up the steps to their table and sat down.

"I do get paid for all of this, even though it's my Mother's work instead of mine. That, and I also get a handful of tickets for my friends. A few of the other actors did as well. I just gave my tickets to you guys." Tiana said with a shrug, Marinette unable to really be mad at her for setting her up right next to Adrien's booth because she did do something amazing for all of them.

"What about your Grandfather?" Nathaniel asked as Marinette walked down the steps to her seat.

"He's working in it now. He's the conductor for the orchestra." Tiana revealed, Marinette having to put a hand over her mouth to suppress the urge to squeal at how almost her whole family would be working on a play that will undoubtedly be seen by all of Paris.

"Is your Father going to opening night?" Adrien asked as Marinette began pulling her things out of her bag before class started.

"Yes, he's going to be sitting with Mother during it. They've got balcony seats as well, right up front." Tiana answered Adrien, Marinette looking down at the blond boy in front of her to see him looking back at Tiana with a kind smile.

Marinette couldn't help but smile at him when his eyes shifted down to her, still holding that smile but now for her. Maybe it would be good that her seats were close to his and his fathers. Both of their families somewhat close by.

Maybe Gabriel would start to realize that she's good for Adrien, and even approve of the idea of them dating when Adrien is ready. That would be so amazing, having approval from not just her own parents but his as well!

Now it's just a matter of when he will be ready to give it a try. Or the even worse idea of if he will ever be ready. No, she's gotta stay positive. He said he would give her a chance.

"I wish it wasn't so far away." Marinette complained, folding her arms over the table in front of her as Alya chuckled beside her.

"Hey, it's less than a month now. Just be patient, we're all excited." Alya reminded her, Marinette turning to her with a small smile as Nino finally arrived to class, jabbing a thumb down in his direction.

"So are you going with Nino or with your family?" Marinette asked which earned a snort of laughter from her best friend.

"Nino, of course. If I go with my parents and the twins I won't hear a thing over those two asking what everything means. I'll leave it up to my parents to explain the entire performance to them." Alya said, Marinette laughing openly at her sisters.

The twins were a handful at times, but they were adorable.

"Then after the show we're going for a little fun out on the town." Nino spoke up from his seat in front of them, turning to face the girls with a sly smile sent Alyas way before Alya shushed him.

"You two can have all the fun you want, just leave the rest of us out of it." Adrien teased without even turning around to face her and Alya, but Marinette couldn't help giggle along with his teasing of their dating friends.

"Oh please, you say that like you wouldn't choose to go out on a date after a show with the girl you're interested in." Nino teased Adrien right back, which earned a hiss of his name from Adrien as Nino smirked at Adrien.

Marinette looked between the two with a small smile at their teasing. She couldn't help but wish that Adrien would ask her to go on a date after the show.

It would make what is already going to be an amazing night magical.

* * *

 **Both a little bit of a filler in the end, but a really big change in the beginning.**

 **It looks like Tiana's starting to feel confused about the kitty cat. Doesn't help that said kitty cat teased her not just when they were both in costume, but when she was out of costume as well. I can only wonder how this will go**

 **Anyways, thank you all so much for reading as always! I apologize if this chapter looked rushed at all, I've been doing doctors appointments and stuff for a few days now. Speaking of which, I gotta go because I need to go have a TB shot read. Which is why this is early today.**

 **Thanks again for reading, I will see you next chapter!**


	37. Why?

Chat looked out over the city as he leaned on the side of the gargoyle statue once more. Tonight was one of those nights where he was just completely alone, nothing to do because Paris is too busy with everything else to provide some excitement for his crime fighting career.

He actually wished that Rogue Wolf would make a show, he hasn't seen her since he took the ring back from her. Of course, he's heard from civilians of sightings of her. But with his own eyes has he not seen her.

It's so boring when he's on a patrol that there's absolutely nothing to do.

Not even Ladybug is out. When he talked to her the other night, she let him know that she would be busy on this night with her family. He was glad she was spending time with them, he could take care of the patrol himself.

He only wished he had a family that was close enough to him that they could just spend a night together. He...he honestly missed his Mother. He missed having her to turn to, to convince Father to spend time together as a family. Instead of spending all his time in his office working.

Chat sighed and pushed himself back further against the statue, bringing his legs up so they wouldn't dangle over the edge anymore.

This was part of why he didn't like being alone. It gave him time to think about his life, think about some of the things he wishes he could have that he doesn't.

His cat ears twitched when he heard a thump near, turning to see movement on the roof on the other side of the building. Upon seeing the moonlight catch white hair, he jumped up and dashed over to her as she ducked towards a window.

"Wolf, it's been a while." Chat mused as he neared her, noticing the way her body tensed before she turned to face him. What was she doing? Was she trying to steal something on this quiet night?

"It has, I've been busy." Rogue replied to him before he noticed her eyes dart away from him for a moment.

His suspicion grew, before a second later Rogue took off running and went flying off the edge of the building. Without hesitating, he took off after her. No doubt that she was up to something now.

Either Rogue was slipping, or she wasn't really trying her hardest to get away from him like she usually would when caught in her misdeeds. Because as he chased her and she touched down on the Champ De Mars for a brief second, he shifted his weight in his vault with his staff and tackled her into the grass with more ease than usual.

"I'm a little disappointed in you. Usually you put up more of a fight." Chat teased as he held her down against the grass with one hand and used his other to search for whatever she may have stolen.

He noticed first though that she didn't have her usual black bag attached to her hip that she would use to store small takes in. Where else could she have hidden it?

"I don't know what you're looking for. I haven't done a thing tonight, you just interrupted my stroll." Rogue replied rather languidly as she turned to look back at him.

"If that were true you wouldn't have run from me." Chat replied to her failed attempt of lying to him.

"Maybe I assumed Ladybug was nearby. She usually is around you, being that you're partners." Rogue said and he smirked down at her for how she openly hid from his partner.

"While I'm touched that you'd rather spend time with me alone, Wolf, I have to believe because of how you ran from me so quick that you're up to something." Chat said before rolling her over to check her if she hid whatever she might have taken on her front.

As he went to check if she had whatever around her neck, he yanked his hand back suddenly when she tried to bite him. "Haven't you ever heard that caged animals will bite?" Rogue asked as he sighed at how she had to be so difficult.

"It's nice seeing you after a while too, Rogue." Chat sarcastically replied before continuing his search. When he found nothing on her other than her own usual tools, he reluctantly let go of her and stood, offering her a hand to help her up.

Rogue stared up at him for a moment before taking his hand. Once on her feet, she brushed herself off before leveling him with a weak glare.

"I don't know why you're glaring at me. If you hadn't acted so suspicious, I wouldn't have had to do that." Chat reminded her as he folded his arms over his chest while watching her.

She seemed more tense than she usually would be around him. If she wasn't up to something devious, then why was she acting this way?

"What's wrong? Something seems off about you tonight." Chat pointed out his suspicions by pointing a finger towards her posture first and how rigid it was. Usually, she would be more calm and relaxed instead of stock stiff like she was now.

"Well, I was just tackled in plain view of whomever might be out tonight. So that's one thing." Rogue quipped back, Chat frowning at her obvious hostility towards him tonight.

"You know, I don't know what's actually wrong but at least I'm wanting to help. The hostility isn't needed." Chat said before turning away from her and pulling his staff from his back again. "When you actually feel like talking, you know where to find me." Before he could vault away, Rogue's sarcastic laughter reached his ears.

"That doesn't sound like asking for trouble at all, now does it Kitty Cat?" Rogue replied before he turned to face her again. "We aren't allies, Chat Noir. As you've made clear these past two times seeing me, you've pinned me both times to try to find whatever I've recovered from establishments. Why still try to be friendly to the wolf when you've got a bug who's got her eyes on you once more?" Chat frowned at how she snarled her words out at the mention of Ladybug.

"She's my partner, I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about her like you're trying not to spit at her name." Chat said before earning a snort from the girl in front of him that was being unusually hostile all of a sudden.

"Your partner who wants me caged. Who hates my very presence and even the thought that I draw breath in what she thinks is her city." Rogue remarked as she walked past him, Chat turning to face her as she walked. "Just go to her, Chat Noir." For a moment it sounded like she was going to say more, but she opted not to and instead the zip lines shot from her belt and she zoomed up into the sky towards the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Chat stood there in silence for a moment, just taking in what she had said. Why was she so angry at Ladybug, his lady hadn't even seen her since the Beast Akuma.

A little voice in the back of his mind, or probably Plagg, whispered jealousy. That couldn't be right, but looking back on the past few weeks he has been with his lady more than Rogue Wolf.

But since when would she care? Since when would she ever be jealous of anything about him or what he does? She's the laid back cunning wolf that has reminded him before plenty of times that they aren't technically allies.

But this was also the wolf who openly went out of her way to distract him from the problems of his own life and even make many of his long nights better. Who even let him be a shoulder to lean on and listen to.

Was it actually possible that Rogue Wolf could be jealous of his renewed relationship with Ladybug, when outside of their own issues they hardly know a thing about one another.

With confusion and slight worry over her behavior, Chat pulled out his staff and aimed for the top of the Eiffel Tower where he saw the wolf head for.

Reaching the balcony, he was confused when he didn't see her. Before hearing muttering and looking up to see a figure tucked into the metal work.

Sighing through his nose, he lifted himself up towards the metal and started climbing.

"Shut up, Verro." His cat ears twitched as it sounded like she was talking to someone, looking around for a moment before realizing she was alone. Was she using a phone?

Chat continued climbing up towards her instead of letting her know he was there outright.

"You wanted me to be more careful, I'm being careful. Stop berating me for what I've done when I'm only doing as you told me to." Chat pulled himself up onto a metal bar just below her as she continued talking to this Verro person.

But as he focused his hearing more, he realized he didn't even hear the sound of noise coming from another source. It was completely silent aside from her occasional words towards this Verro.

Climbing the last bit, he reached the metal beam where she was and pulled himself up, Rogue snapping her golden eyes towards him as he tried to ignore the fact that they were in a not so safe local this time. "I know you're going to tell me to leave-"

"You're right I am. Why did you follow me?" Rogue questioned him as he slung a leg over the other side of the metal beam so he was straddling it and a little more secure.

"Because something is obviously wrong and I'm not just going to walk away and let you suffer alone. You may act like you hate me now but that doesn't mean I won't try to help you, Rogue." Chat reminded her, frowning a little when her tough facade faded a little and her eyes softened on him before she looked away. "Rogue-"

"Please just go away." Rogue's voice was much softer and more gentle this time than it had been all night, and his chest clenched painfully at having to hear her sound like that.

"Why? Why do you want me to leave? Why are you pushing me away?" Chat asked, watching as she tried to scoot away from him but must have remembered that they were near the tip of the tower and not exactly on safe grounds.

It was silent for a minute. Chat almost thought she just wasn't going to answer him but a sigh left her as she looked down at the city far below them. "I don't hate you." Rogue said instead of answering his actual question, but it was a start.

Chat smiled a little at her correction to what he had said to her. "I know you don't, I shouldn't have assumed. Please, tell me what's wrong. It's not fair of you to help me but I can't help you. It's not fair of you to push me away either when I actually really enjoy our visits like this." Chat revealed to her, noticing the way she watched him out of the corner of her eye for a moment before looking down again.

"Let's continue this back on the platform then, instead of up here where you'll probably fall." Rogue said and stood up on the beam. A zip line shot to a metal bar above her and she jumped off the edge, zooming down to the platform.

Chat grabbed his baton and made his way back down to her. He felt a little better once his boots touched the platform before making his way over to Rogue where she sat near the edge of the balcony.

Sitting down beside her, he frowned at how she looked so troubled. Part of him was screaming at himself for not doing more to help her, for wanting to know how long she's been like this as he hasn't seen her in a bit.

Ignoring the fact that she previously tried to bite him when he got too close, he scooted closer to her and slid an arm around her shoulder. Her head immediately met his shoulder and he felt his own tension melt away a little, but her own only dissipated a little.

"Talk to me, Wolf. I'm all ears." Chat wiggled the cat ears atop his head as she looked up at him, smiling when she actually chuckled a little at his actions.

"It's supposed to be me that listens to you, not-" Chat shushed her and earned an indignant look that only served to make him smirk at her. "Really?" Rogue questioned his shushing her excuses.

"You can give your excuses to people that they actually work on, wolf. As for me, they don't. That, and you know that I will help you too. Heck, I'd rather see you laughing evilly while trying to steal something even than the way you are right now." Chat admitted, as anything was better than seeing her as she was right now.

Rogue pulled away from his shoulder, and he thought he might of insulted her for a second before noticing the soft look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, for earlier. For letting my emotions get the better of me and taking it out on you." Rogue apologized and he smiled gently at her.

"It's fine."

"No it's not. It wasn't fair to you, you already had to deal with mistreatment from your partner enough and I ended up doing the same." Rogue looked away from him and his smile melted into a frown at her genuine remorse for how she treated him.

It's not like he's not used to it, but he really doesn't want to see her sad or frowning. "Rogue, everyone has bad days. I've taken my anger out on you before too, we're only human." Chat said but she didn't look back at him and kept her eyes on the city in front of them.

Chat wrapped his arm around her shoulder again and pulled her back to him, frowning to himself when she didn't lean her head on his shoulder. Her warmth at his side didn't do much to comfort him when he knew she was upset.

"Why do you keep coming back?" Chat turned his head to look at her in confusion to the question.

"What?" Chat asked, watching as Rogue ran her clawed fingers through her hair to push it away from her eyes.

"You and Ladybug are fine again. Why do you keep risking that by coming back to me when you know she hates me?" Rogue asked, Chat faintly hearing the word jealousy echo in his head and cursing Plagg for a half a second before really letting her words settle in.

She was right, he knew that as well as she did. Just standing by her for too long without it looking like he was trying to stop her from committing a crime could be misconstrued by any passers by. He could only imagine the firestorm if the paparazzi snapped a picture of him and Rogue together.

But he also knew that their usual places to meet were out of sight and out of reach of civilians. Also that it was typically the dead of night when normal people would be fast asleep. But before now, he's never really thought about the what if of being seen by civilians, only Ladybug.

"Just walk away, Chat Noir. Before it ends up ruining the good thing you got going with your lady." Chat frowned at her suggestion, not able to see himself doing that. Yes, he and Ladybug were good right now. He's talking better with her now than he has in the years of them knowing each other.

But that didn't mean he didn't enjoy his time with Rogue too. Even considering the situation of him being a hero and her a neutral thief, he still enjoyed her company. Was grateful to her for all the times she has managed to help him keep the negativity at bay and actually smile and laugh again. He wanted to do that for her too, and he couldn't if he walked away like she was suggesting.

"I can't do that, Rogue." Chat said honestly, Rogue looking to him in surprise for his reply. "Even though you're the one suggesting this, I know that's not what you want either." Chat revealed, not needing her to verbally say it to know just by her body language.

She might portray herself as some big bad wolf, but she was still a woman with feelings. She was still a person. One whom he was still learning to read the real meaning behind the things she does.

"Why? How?" Chat chuckled a little at her short word responses to him.

"Because. Not only is it not fair, but I don't want to either. I like spending time with you, listening to the smart girl that you are instead of the cunning wolf that you come off as for this job you chose." Chat waved a hand towards her from top to bottom to indicate her attire. "Also, I know because if it were really what you wanted you wouldn't show remorse for having to say this. You wouldn't look like it's troubling you so bad. You would just be okay with it, indifferent which you are not." Chat explained his reasoning for knowing the real meaning behind her words.

Rogue looked even more taken aback by his explanation, but he just smiled at her to let her come to terms with the fact that he was learning to understand the double meaning to some of the things she says and does.

She was silent for a few minutes even, so he just looked out at the city lit up around them. Honestly, he enjoyed sitting with her at night a little more than with Ladybug. He loves his lady still, but being around her is also a reminder that he has to move on.

Even if now that he's admitted it to not only himself and her she's actually opening up to him more and being a better listener for him.

With Rogue, it gave him not only a chance to relax, but a chance to escape from the thoughts about moving on from Ladybug. A chance to just forget for a little while the bad hand he's been dealt with his love life.

"You're...you're something else." Rogue pulled away from him and looked out at the city like he was.

Chat laughed at her comment. "So I've been told." Chat replied, turning his full attention to her to see the way thoughtfulness had replaced her shock at his own words now.

"You're going to come to regret your choice when or if she finds out that you make nice with the thief." Rogue commented, Chat snorting at her words as he honestly didn't see Ladybug finding out so easily. Every time he sees Rogue like this where she's not committing a crime, Ladybug is without a doubt not coming out for the night.

They were safe, for the most part.

"It's doubtful she'll find out, wolfie. But I won't regret my decision. So long as you keep up the good job of not committing any heinous crimes." Chat reminded her of what he said when they first really started talking, Rogue scoffing dramatically before turning to level him with her devious smile once more.

"I thought I told you that I couldn't promise that. I'm still a neutral, Chat Noir. I do as I please." Rogue said with a wink as he smiled at her, slowly noticing the tension in her body melting away.

Good, he wants to see her calm, relaxed and happy. It's so much better than seeing her hurting, he could almost feel himself hurting just at knowing she was.

They stayed there and talked well into the night, only leaving when his Miraculous was warning him to leave. But even then, he didn't quiet feel ready to leave yet. Even though he knew she was better, he still wanted to talk with her more. Make sure everything would be alright.

He would no doubt see her soon though. So long as she still wants his company he has no problems lazing about with her.

* * *

"Come on, Nino! You have to!" Tiana rolled her eyes at the couple as she watched Marinette sketch on her notebook beside her. "It's a ball, you can't just show up in jeans or t-shirts. You have to dress up!" Alya protested as she swatted her boyfriend on the shoulder with the magazine of men wearing suits.

"We were supposed to be going out after the show, not to a ball." Nino protested right back to Alya, Tiana and Marinette exchanging a look before they both rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, but then Tiana's Mom announced this ball for after opening night! We've never been to some big fancy ball before!" Alya pointed out and to emphasize her point poked the magazine in his chest.

"It's actually a masquerade ball too, so aside from all the dressing up and everything you also need a mask." Tiana revealed, none too pleased about that little tidbit herself as she did not like wearing masks. It could possibly give away to her alter ego.

"It is? Darn it, now I have to redo this!" Marinette complained before scribbling out the sketch she already had and opening up to a new page.

"Even more of a reason why you have to go! There hasn't been a masquerade party in years here! Think of how much fun that will be! You might even meet some important people who could help you with your career!" Alya said and that one seemed to do the trick as Nino's eyes lit up.

"Fine, I'll look for a tux." Nino agreed with much reluctance, Tiana snorting at how he finally agrees once it becomes to his possible benefit.

"Why is she even throwing this anyways?" Alya asked, turning her attention back to her and Marinette at last after Nino took the magazine from her to flip through.

"A few reasons. The main one being that it could bring more attention to the show, which I don't understand then why she would do it after opening night instead of before. But it's also a nod to what next year will be." Tiana admitted, Marinette squeaking before her with excitement before Tiana pointed to the paper to remind her that her design was more important than fan-girling.

"So does that mean we won't be seeing you until you make your grand appearance, dudette?" Nino asked with a teasing smile at her before looking back down at the magazine.

"Probably not." Tiana shrugged as she knew that Mother would fuss about her needing to focus on the work and not her friends. That she needed to make a grand show for their family, when she knew that by family she really meant do it to make sure that she still looks good.

Mother didn't care about their family, she only cares about her career and fame or herself. Sometimes Father when he's done exceptional work as the Prime Minister.

"What are you guys up to?" Tiana scooted over for Adrien to take a seat beside her.

"Talking about the masquerade ball." Marinette answered but didn't even look up at him, only continued to keep working on her dress design for said ball.

"It's a masquerade ball?" Adrien asked, looking to her with slight confusion.

How did he not know, when she's sure his Father is going as well. He's been working with Mother plenty to know that it would be a masquerade.

"Yes, she made up all the poster designs and such with a mask right on front for emphasis. But let's see how many people actually end up wearing one." Tiana said with another shrug.

"Well I think it sounds fun. It's different, and I'm sure we'll all have fun." Adrien commented, ever the positive person that he is. Tiana couldn't help herself from smile even and forget, at least for a second, that she was being forced into this by her mother and really had no choice of her own.

"What is your dress, Tiana?" Marinette asked, finally looking up from her notebook.

"I have no idea, Lover Boy's Father here is probably the one designing it, since he's probably also designing Mother's. Our parents are becoming good friends, aren't they?" Tiana asked and leaned her shoulder into Adrien's with a smile his way.

"Yeah, as long as they're both beneficial to one another." Well that one didn't sound as positive as he would usually would be, but she couldn't deny that he was right on that.

Marinette whined beside her though and stopped her from agreeing to what Adrien said. "I need to make something special then if there will be people wearing Gabriel's designs at the ball. I have a lot of work to do." Marinette muttered before standing up from the table and shoving all her things into her bag. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Marinette waved goodbye before she was off.

The only reason any of them were still at the school really was that they had been waiting for Adrien to join them finally.

"She's going to burn herself out with all that designing." Alya commented with a shake of her head. "Nino, you and I need to go shopping then for the ball since it's next week. We gotta be ready!" Alya nearly shouted the last part due to her excitement as she stood from the table.

Before Nino could even try to protest, Alya had grabbed him by the bicep and pulled him to his feet as well to begin dragging him off. "I guess we'll see you guys later." Nino called back to her and Adrien before he was dragged out the door by his girlfriend.

Tiana chuckled at the way those two acted with one another before turning her full attention to the blond boy beside her. "So we still going back to mine to play State of Decay 2, now that it's finally out?" Tiana asked, Adrien smiling before standing from the table as well.

"Of course, after you Kitten." Adrien waved a hand towards the door. As they walked towards it though he quickly held it open for her before she frowned upon seeing Beau's car parked at the bottom of the stairs.

"Guess we don't get to walk." Tiana muttered as the big hulking man stood impatiently beside the vehicle.

Tiana was glad that the ride was short and they were soon back at her estate, leaving Beau immediately to head up to her room with Adrien. Fortunately, she had asked Louie ahead of time to grab one of the flat screen TV's from an extra room and set it up beside the one in her own room.

So everything was all ready and waiting for them when they entered, including a spread of drinks and snacks courtesy of the only non-family member of the house she actually liked.

"Is Louie like your personal butler that he did all of this for you before we even got here?" Adrien asked as they walked over to the couch to sit down, Tiana dragging the coffee table to one side and pulling the ottoman she hardly ever used in front of the couch instead.

"He prefers the term babysitter or nanny." Tiana pointed out, Adrien chuckling before sitting down on the couch. Tiana joined him a second later after grabbing the controllers.

"It's going to be boring playing this after today without you. Well, if I even have time to." Adrien commented as they loaded the game up on both TV's, Tiana sending him a half smile as both of their schedules were getting increasingly busy. This was the last time before the performance that she would have more than an hour to herself, and she wanted to spend it with her friend.

"We'll play again when our busy lives calm down. Remember, school ends next week too so we'll have summer to play." Tiana reminded which earned a small chuckle from Adrien.

"Next year is our last year, it feels weird to acknowledge that." Tiana only sent him a half smile again, as it didn't really feel like it would be the last to her either since this was only her first real year in public school.

"Are you going on that school trip before class starts back up?" Tiana asked, just remembering it as they tried to pick their characters for the game.

"The one to your home country? Maybe, it's up to Father." Adrien answered before snorting at the game they were playing. "Did you really pick those two?" Adrien asked with a smirk her way as she looked away from the screen.

"Of course, she's sassy just like I can be." Tiana propped a hand on her hip for emphasis before turning back to the game as Adrien laughed at her.

"I would think you'd want to pick the odd couple, you know since your odd relationship with Chat Noir." Tiana didn't hesitate to swat him with a pillow as he laughed beside her.

"Ooh just you wait until we get in game together. I'm going to make sure to let the juggernaut get you first." Tiana warned as Adrien continued snickering beside her.

"You wouldn't. You'd miss me too much." Adrien challenged her words as they continued going through the tutorial.

Tiana mocked his words for a moment before focusing on the game now that they were finally playing together.

It was fun, it was nice to just laze about playing video games with Adrien. To just have fun and focus on another word for a minute instead of their own. That's part of why she liked video games, is that for a brief moment she could forget that she was basically a prisoner in her own world and be whoever she wanted to in the video game world.

In this case, a sassy girl slaughtering zeds.

As they were playing, she faintly became aware of the fact that she would start leaning into him while they were in tense moments. Of the warmth at her side that was leaning into his own.

With other people, being so close would make her feel uncomfortable usually. But with Adrien, for some reason she was comfortable. It didn't bother her, much like it didn't bother her to be close to Chat Noir.

She always attributed that towards the fact that he was a hero though, so people were supposed to be comfortable around him.

Adrien was just a normal guy though, granted with a not so normal life.

But as they laughed together and enjoyed their new game together, she was comfortable being so close to him. Spending time with him was far more enjoyable than being alone in this prison of her Mother's concoction.

There was that faint nagging at the back of her mind reminding her that this boy could have been the prediction Andre had given her. But for the moment she was able to forget that and just enjoy herself and laugh as he blew up his vehicle.

"That's your own fault!" Tiana barely managed to speak through her laughter at his pouting over how he destroyed the truck by trying to ram her own.

"It's your fault too since I was trying to hit yours!" Adrien protested as she continued laughing, dropping her controller on the couch beside her as she laughed. "Really, are you enjoying yourself?" Adrien asked as she looked up at his pouting face and started laughing harder once more.

"Oh yes I do believe I am." Tiana answered through her laughter as Adrien shook his head at her beside slouching down in the couch beside her, nudging his elbow into her side with a smirk as she flinched away.

"Remember, I could always bring back the tickle torture." Adrien warned her with a devious smile.

Tiana just snorted at him before setting her head on his shoulder, still laughing. She could have sworn she heard purring at one point, but she was probably either hearing the game or hearing things.

After her hysterics died down, they got right back into playing as Tiana forgot her head was still on his shoulder.

* * *

 **I'm going to first start this with this game is my current favorite game and why it took me so long to do this chapter. I only just finished this chapter a little bit ago because I've been playing this game way too much.**

 **I'm also going to say that this week I may or may not post Wednesday. I might only post today and Friday so as to make sure I don't burn myself out on this. It was hard finding the inspiration to do this chapter this time, but that could have also been because of the new game. So if I don't post Wednesday, forgive me. I'd rather take longer to update than burn out and not finish this story.**

 **Back to the chapter, ooh I wonder if Rogue's only reason for trying to keep Chat away was because of trying to protect his relationship with Ladybug, or if there was more to her actions too. Like the fact that she has no doubt been drawing confusion over his presence recently. Too bad Chat won't let her go just that easily.**

 **But look at that end there, a nice little moment between Adrien and Tiana. Doesn't even realize that she's still leaning on him in the end, is just so comfortable together that they don't care. Isn't it cute?**

 **Anyways, thanks as always for reading! I'll try to make sure I don't burn out on this story but might have to pace chapters this week to ensure that. Thank you to those whom have commented, I love hearing how you feel about this story! I will see you guys next chapter!**


	38. Jealous?

Adrien checked the time on his phone for the umpteenth time that class alone. In the background he could hear snickering, recognizing that devious sound without even having to look back.

He hasn't had a chance to hang out with her much since they last played video games together, but he's found himself staring at the little kitten icon on his phone screen at times.

It didn't take him long into them playing that he realized they were basically cuddled up together on the couch while playing. He felt like his face was never going to stop burning just at realizing she had been laying her head on his shoulder and he hadn't realized it for a while.

How had they been so comfortable together that he hadn't even realized? He's never been that close to anyone before, and yet he didn't notice? Why?

They haven't even talked much since then. For a day he thought he upset her, before remembering that she had rehearsals from the moment school ended until midnight. He felt bad for her, but looking at her she seemed fine. It didn't look like it was taking too much out of her.

Obviously if she's able to laugh and joke around in the back with Nathaniel during their last class.

He checked his phone again for the time. His bodyguard was picking him up right after school to go get fitted for a suit, by Father's orders. The performance was tomorrow and the ball right after, so Adrien was a little surprised by how close this was being cut.

At least he had his outfit for the actual event already picked out and set aside for tomorrow. At least for the last day of class today he was able to just dress casual.

There were other classmates also laughing and just enjoying the relaxed final class of their year before they go onto their final year next year. Himself though, he was just more focused on the time so he wouldn't be late to his fitting.

"Dude, come on. It's the last day, have some fun with us." Nino said as he jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow. "Even Miss. Bustier is having more fun than you." Nino teased as he pointed to their teacher who was taking pictures with Marinette, Rose, Alya and Juleka.

"I need to leave right away, Nino. I'm just trying to make sure I'm not late for my fitting." Adrien reminded him, before arms suddenly slung over his shoulders and hands pressed against his chest.

"Adrikins, we're going to the ball tomorrow night together, right? You can't just let me go alone." Chloe said as she hugged herself close to him and smiled widely down at him once he looked back at her.

"Aren't you being escorted by your father?" Nino asked before Adrien could say a thing, which earned him a sharp glare from the blond girl hugging onto his shoulders.

"Everyone who's anyone is going tomorrow, and we both need a date. So you can take me." Chloe said to him like he didn't have much choice in the matter.

Except he did have a date, he just wasn't spreading the news around. "I'm already going with someone, Chloe. I'm sorry we-" Adrien cut short when after taking her hands away from his shoulders she slammed them down on the table in front of him.

"What do you mean you have a date?" Chloe demanded angrily, Adrien almost scared for a second before remembering this was Chloe. She was bark, not bite.

His eyes subconsciously went towards Marinette where she had paused in taking pictures of Alya with Miss Bustier. That was the wrong move, as Chloe's gaze followed towards Marinette.

When she looked back his way again, her cheeks were puffed out and red and he thought she was about to have a fit. But after taking a deep breath, she stepped away from his table and brushed aside a stray strand of her hair from her eyes and walked back to her chair.

She sat down with her back to him and he was more startled by the silent treatment than he would have been had she blown up like she usually would.

"That's more scary than her screaming." Nino whispered to him as they both looked at the now pouting girl in the seat across the isle from them.

She stayed like that until the class was dismissed, leaving without saying anything to any of them or even Sabrina. "I will see you all next year!" Miss Bustier chimed from the front of the room as Adrien stood from his table to leave and get his fitting started.

"Dude, you're Pop's still letting you come Saturday right?" Nino asked as they headed out the door right behind all the girls who were laughing and talking happily.

"Yes, as long as I don't leave before noon. He wants me to practice for two hours." Adrien revealed, Nino shaking his head beside him.

"It's the first day of summer, dude. Your dad needs to lighten up." Nino said as they headed towards the front doors. Walking out, he noticed not only his own car and driver but two others.

Not to mention the plethora of people snapping pictures from the streets. Great, this will be a long day.

But then he realized the cameras weren't aimed at him for once, but at a blonde guy wearing sunglasses and a suit leaning against one of the three cars.

The doors banged open behind himself and Nino again before the girls finally all filed out. There was a squeal and he swore he heard Rose say something about a prince before he noticed Tiana step up beside him.

"I'll see you in a little while, Lover Boy. I have to go make sure the dress your father made for tomorrow fits." Tiana said with a warm smile before her eyes drifted away from him and down the steps.

A look of shock came over her face before he followed her gaze to the guy leaning against the car.

"Well hello to you too, Princess!" The guy spoke up with a jovial tone before stepping away from the car and lifting the sunglasses from his eyes.

Before he could even begin to wonder who this guy was talking to, Tiana suddenly shot down the steps and with a squeal he hasn't heard her make before leaped off of the last few steps and into the guys now open arms.

What...what is happening?

Adrien's chest felt heavy as he watched her hug this guy and him spin on the spot before putting her back down. He was grinning brightly down at her, but her back was to him and he couldn't see her own face.

Rose's voice suddenly broke his thoughts and staring when she let out a squeal of, "That's Prince Martinus Rey!" The cameras of the people around the area were flashing quickly as the paparazzi took pictures of now not only this Martinus guy but Tiana too.

"Dude, Tiana knows a prince? I've never heard her mention this guy." Nino spoke up next, before Alya snorted beside him as well.

"I feel like I should be offended that she kept from me that her best friend is actually a famous Prince." Wait, best friend? "Mari, now we know why she never told us his last name." Alya leaned an arm on Marinette's shoulder with that comment.

Is this the guy that Tiana had said had been her only friend before moving here to Paris? Why hadn't she mentioned more about him to her, and why did he physically feel his stomach drop a little at acknowledging this guy as her best friend?

Biggest question, why was it okay for this guy to call her Princess but he wasn't allowed to?

Adrien felt an elbow in his ribs before looking at Nino, rolling his eyes at the smirk his best friend had before he heard the Gorilla grunt at him from down the steps. "I have to go, I'll see you all tomorrow." Adrien said before starting down the steps towards his car.

Also towards the duo that was still standing extremely close to one another and laughing.

As he passed them to get in the now open car door, he barely caught Tiana's eye before the Gorilla shut the door and walked around to the driver side.

She said he'd see her later since she had to come make sure her dress for tomorrow fits, so he would talk to her then about this Prince. He just really hoped the guy didn't follow her along to the fitting.

Due to the fact that Father was the main designer for most of the costumes for the play, he wasn't surprised when they pulled up at the theater. He should have known Father would already be here since he wants to make as big an impression as Tiana's Mother does.

The Gorilla grunted at most of the people in his way as he lead Adrien into the building and towards the back where he no doubt would be having the fitting done.

He had to admit though, looking at the costumes of some of the passing actors and actresses, his Father did amazing. No wonder he's been working so much with Tiana's Mother.

Entering one of the many changing rooms, the Gorilla stood outside the door as his guard as usual as he was greeted by a short white haired man he's never met before in all his years modeling for Father. "Come, let's get you fitted. Mr. Gabriel will be by shortly to ensure it's correct." The little man said as he waved him towards a separate room he assumed had the suit.

He hasn't even seen it himself yet, but after looking at it for a minute or two he realized Father tailored it to no longer make him look boyish. This time, it looked much more mature for him.

Maybe Father was finally starting to acknowledge him as about to become an adult.

"Why do you have to get all fancy? It's just a dance." Plagg muttered as he changed, hiding in his day clothes that now laid on a nearby chair.

"It's a masquerade ball, Plagg." Adrien corrected him, before realizing that there wasn't a mask to go along with the suit. Where was that?

There was a twinge of nervousness in him about wearing a mask, because he didn't want people to put two and two together that he looked like one of the masked hero's of Paris. But he kept reminding himself that his appearance was different as Chat than as Adrien, so that should help.

"Are you worried about the mask thing again?" Plagg asked as he fixed the cuffs of his jacket, smoothing the fabric down against his sides to see if it fit right.

"A little." Adrien admitted to the ancient cat.

"Don't be. We Kwami's got little tricks up our sleeves to make sure you kids don't ruin everything by accidentally giving away who you are. Besides, you look a lot more wild as Chat than you do right now." Plagg pointed out as he popped out of his t-shirt and pointed a little paw at his neat hair.

Adrien went to open his mouth and say something when there was a knock at the door. "I have your mask waiting for you for when you are dressed, Mr. Agreste. Please do hurry, your Father is waiting." Is he here already? He's only been changing for like two minutes.

Plagg zoomed into the jacket of his suit before he opened the door and walked out. Sitting off to the side of the room and looking impatient was Father, like the little man had warned.

"Good, it looks like it fits well." Father said without standing from the chair, Adrien noticing the little black mask resting on the arm rest by his arm. "You will be arriving tomorrow with myself, Delphine and her daughter, Tatiana." Father revealed as he finally stood from the chair and walked over to him, handing him the mask.

Adrien looked down at the little black mask adorned with what he hoped was fake white feathers. He hasn't sneezed yet, so hopefully that means they're fake.

"As for the ball, you will arrive with myself." Father continued on as he walked over to another rack of clothes and looked down at them critically. "Once it has begun, you can do as you wish since you mentioned you asked that girl to go with you." Adrien bit back the urge to sigh at how Father referred to Marinette like he was resisting the urge to turn his nose up.

"Father, what about Saturday?" Adrien asked before setting the little mask down on the chair he had previously been seated in.

"We can talk about that Saturday. We have more important things to do than talk about some party your classmates are throwing. I expect you to be on your best behavior tomorrow, even when I am not around you." Father said as he turned away from the rack of clothes and back to him. "Your Mother would be pleased to see how mature you look in that suit, to see how much you've matured." Adrien's breath caught in his throat at the mention of his Mother and how Father's features actually softened for once.

He hasn't mentioned her in so long...

His eyes started to burn as Father walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it for a moment before making for the door.

Adrien turned to face him just as the door opened and in walked Tiana, and unfortunately that Prince that was with her before. "Oh, sorry. Wrong room." Tiana said with a smile up at his father before her eyes drifted his way.

"Your dress is in your dressing room, Miss Tatiana." Father said before looking towards her friend Martinus. "And you must be Prince Rey that I've heard of. It's a pleasure to meet you." Father extended a hand towards the ever smiling blond guy.

"Please, call me Martinus. This whole Prince thing is still strange to me." Martinus said as he enthusiastically shook Father's hand, to the point where Adrien wondered if Father would yank his hand away.

"Says the one who used to say he was Prince of Africa." Tiana commented with a sly smile up at her best friend before smiling up at his Father again. "Thank you for making a dress for me for tomorrow, Mr. Agreste. I know you're busy enough helping Mother with the designs of everyone's costumes." Tiana said with her usual warm smile before Father walked past her and out the room.

Adrien wasn't sure if he was annoyed more by the fact that his moment with Father was interrupted, or by the guy standing at Tiana's side that seemed to have a permanent smile.

"Lover Boy, I didn't get a chance to introduce you before you left earlier. Meet Martinus." Tiana introduced him to the cause of his annoyance, who held his hand out to him now with the smile aimed at him.

"Pleasure, I've heard a lot about all of you. But I heard you and the Princess here have been playing some video games together." Martinus said as Adrien reluctantly held his own hand out to the guy, who shook it with so much force and grip he almost swore he heard his joints pop.

"Stop calling me that." Oh so he's not allowed to call her it either, but does it anyways? Well that makes him feel a smidgen better.

"I'm Adrien." Adrien introduced himself after Martinus finally let go of his hand. When Tiana added Lover Boy at the end he smirked her way. "Kitten, I could give you a better nickname if you start getting other people to call me that." Adrien warned her which earned him a challenging smile in return.

Martinus looked between her and him for a second before folding his arms behind his head. "So I take it there's a reason she calls you Lover Boy then? I'm a little offended, Princess. I thought you'd be my Princess." Adrien's face flared with heat and looking at Tiana she didn't look much better at the bold comment of her supposed best friend.

"Tinus!" Tiana proceeded to yell at him in a language he didn't understand, so he figured it was probably Martinus' native language.

" _Unapenda kumpiga_!" Martinus chimed right back at her before she huffed and turned back to him.

"Sorry, we're speaking Swahili if you don't understand. Martinus grew up in Africa." Tiana revealed, which made sense why he didn't understand now since he didn't learn Swahili. He thought it was too difficult when he was younger, so he chose to learn Chinese.

"So you're a Prince of Africa then?" Martinus shrugged his shoulders but still smiled none the less.

"Actually, Spain. My Father's the King, still not used to the whole thing. I grew up with my Mom and didn't know much about him." Martinus answered, Adrien realizing that he was being very open for someone who hardly knew him. Maybe he was just a kind guy in general.

Though it didn't stop the nagging in his stomach over this guy and how close he was to Tiana.

"Miss. Serafini, you need to go get fitted and prepare for rehearsals." The little man that had been helping him earlier interrupted their conversation by appearing beside him and looking up at Tiana.

"I know, I'm about to do that now. I had the wrong room." Tiana said before backtracking out of the room at the shooing of the little man. "I'll see you later, Adrien. The suit looks good on you, by the way." Tiana complimented with a smile his way that he realized looked a little tired before she was ushered away, Martinus following after her.

Adrien frowned, wondering how tired she actually was, before the little man began shooing him towards the back room again to get changed yet again.

Walking in the room again, Plagg snickered from inside his jacket as he began unbuttoning it. "What?" Adrien asked the little Kwami before he flew out of his hiding spot.

"You're jealous." Plagg teased, hovering in front of his face with a grin as he pointed a paw at him.

"What? Plagg I'm not jealous." Adrien protested against his teasing as he hung the suit jacket on the hanger once more.

"Oh really? Then why else would you not like a guy that you hardly know and seems nice?" Plagg asked while still grinning at him as he continued changing.

Adrien groaned at Plagg's logic. He knew he couldn't answer him because he didn't have an answer for why he didn't like Martinus. He knew it wasn't right and it wasn't fair, but he couldn't help the nagging feeling in him when he thought of the way the guy kept calling Tiana Princess.

Plagg wasn't right though. Why would he be jealous when Tiana's just his friend?

After changing and ignoring Plagg's giggling the whole time, he walked back out to find the little man now gone. Leaving the mask on a chair, he grabbed his things to leave. Fortunately, this was the only thing scheduled for him today. He had the rest of the night to himself.

Which he would likely spend out on patrol since tomorrow and Saturday he would be too busy.

Besides, maybe talking to Rogue if she's out would clear his mind about this Martinus guy.

Ugh, what's there to clear. He's just a friend of his friend.

Walking out of the room, he noticed the Gorilla was standing down the hall a ways instead of beside the door like he had been. That's weird, usually he sticks right by him.

Heading down the hall towards him, laughter and chatting filled the area as all the actors and actresses ran around excitedly. Nearing the Gorilla, he heard a familiar laugh and stopped in front of an open doorway.

Looking in, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he saw Martinus once again. His eyes instead widened when he looked past him and saw Tiana flanked by the little man and a woman.

No longer was she in her usual t-shirts and jeans, but a black and gold dress that had golden jewel sequins cascading from her bodice down like stars in the night.

His father designed that? For Tiana?

He couldn't look away as she held her arms out at her sides for the designers to work, her arms completely bare from her shoulders on. A sash of black around her waist showed off an hour glass silhouette he never imagined she had.

The burn of his face was how he knew he had been holding his breath and was likely red in the face as he realized also he had been staring. How long had be been staring?

"You sure you don't want to be a Princess? I mean you already look like one, Tati." His attention snapped away from Tiana's beautiful dress to the guy sitting in a chair in front of her. "All you need to solidify it is a kiss from an actual Prince." A growl bubbled up from his chest at that one sentence, eyes narrowing on the blonde male that was so blunt with his friend.

"Well I already have to kiss the Beast." Tiana replied casually, reminding him of the talk she had with Chat Noir over not having a choice of her first kiss.

Before he could hear more, the Gorilla clamped a hand over his shoulder and began pushing him away to go back to the car and leave. Great, he won't be near to possibly stop her "friend" from trying to kiss her.

By the time they were back in the car, Adrien decided he knew where he would go tonight as Chat Noir. He wanted to check on her anyways to make sure she was alright and not exhausting herself with all this that's going on. But he also wanted to make sure that guy wasn't trying to convince her to kiss him.

When he got home, he had to wait an hour or two just to transform. Natalie apparently had orders to have him practice piano for an hour. Even though he already was going to do that Saturday.

He was happy when he finally got the chance to transform and escape.

Running over the rooftops, the sun had recently set. People were milling about the streets below and to him it seemed as though the whole city was quietly buzzing with excitement for tomorrow.

It's nice to see the city get excited over something not related to superheroes or Akumas.

Vaulting in the direction of Tiana's estate, he had to hide a little more upon seeing all the paparazzi lining the streets outside the security walls. It even looked like they had beefed up their own security, as there were new guards patrolling around inside and outside of the walls.

Well, hopefully he wouldn't trigger them by going over the wall to Tiana's balcony. Usually he gets lucky and times it right to where the cameras don't see him enter. But now there's more guards too.

As he perched on one of the rooftops opposite the swarmed estate, he noticed as the light within Tiana's room flickered on. She is home, he thought he'd have to wait a while.

Chat waited for the right moment when the guards passed each other and had their backs to one another to vault over the wall and onto the balcony once more. Crouching low to make sure the paparazzi didn't see him, he tapped his claws on the glass of her balcony door.

It was silent and there was no flutter of the curtains that let him know Tiana was checking who was on her balcony. After nearly two minutes he tried knocking again.

This time, the curtains parted for half a second. Not even enough time for him to see her eyes before she opened the door for him. " _Bonsoir, ma belle._ " Chat greeted once the doors shut behind him.

"You're really risking it tonight, Chat Noir." Was the response he got as Tiana peaked through her curtains once more before turning her gaze to him. A response was turning on his tongue but died as he thought of her wearing that beautiful dress earlier.

How he wished he had seen her fully, not just the obscured part of others working on tailoring it for her while she wore it.

"I will take any risk to visit you, my dear." Chat purred with a warm smile, surprised when she didn't giggle and instead walked over to her couch. His ears flattened against his head as he saw that same tiredness he saw earlier at the theater. "Are you alright?" Chat asked, following after her and sitting down once she was sitting.

"I'm fine, just exhausted. It's been a long day, not to mention a friend of mine just showed up out of nowhere. It's all been a rush." Tiana explained, Chat offering her a soft smile as he watched her sink into the couch.

"Would you like me to go so you can get some rest, ma belle? I wouldn't think to keep you up if you want to sleep." Chat said before chuckling when Tiana shook her head without hesitation. "Are you sure?"' Chat asked, Tiana sitting up fully beside him now.

"I'm sure, I'm alright. I've had more hectic times than this in my life before." Tiana admitted before he heard a knock from her door. "I'll be right back." Tiana said before jumping up from the couch and heading for her door.

Chat frowned, watching as she went. Usually when he visited they were left alone, had security actually seen him?

"I'm going to bed, Princess." His cat ears twitched as that voice floated across the room to him, a growl bubbling in his chest. "Perhaps I'll wake you like sleeping beauty tomorrow." The growl moved from his chest up to his throat as he turned to look at the door that Tiana had barely cracked open.

"Which is why your room is so far from mine, Tinus. Go to bed, I'll see you tomorrow." Tiana said in response, Chat hearing one more phrase that he assumed was in the language the two spoke earlier before she closed the door and headed back his way.

Chat sank into the couch as Tiana walked back over, fighting the desire to fold his arms over his chest when she sat back down beside him. "Your friend, _chérie_?" Chat asked with a lot more snarl to his voice than he intended.

Either she was too tired or chose not to acknowledge, she nodded in response. "He's staying with us for a little while. He has a break from all his "royal engagements"." Tiana punctuated the air with air quotes.

Upon thinking of how this guy would be living with Tiana, a growl bubbled within him again. What was it about this guy that he didn't like so bad?

"I heard his comment about waking you like sleeping beauty. Quiet a Prince." Chat remarked sarcastically, this time earning a curious glance from the woman beside him on the couch.

"You sound jealous, Knight in Kitty Armour." Tiana commented with a sly smile, Chat staring at her for a moment as he heard Plagg mocking him enough about it.

"Not jealous, I just like to make sure you get to choose who will be your first kiss, my dear." Chat reminded her of their talk last time with a wink.

Tiana just continued smiling at him. "Sure, that's totally what it is." Tiana replied, Chat leaning an arm over the back of the couch and leaning closer to her with a smile of his own.

"It sounds like you want me to be jealous." Chat teased, watching as Tiana turned to face him fully on the couch now.

"Not at all. But it's adorable that you'd get jealous because a Prince wants to kiss the girl who's the furthest from a Princess." Tiana quipped back, giggling when he just stared at her for a moment in response.

She might not think she is, but she certainly looked like one in that dress. "Like it or not, you certainly look the part, _chérie_." Chat admitted seriously, only giving her a wink when she stared back at him for a moment with her face dusting pink.

Stuttering for a moment, he chuckled before she muttered under her breath. "Flirty tom cat." Chat leaned closer at those words.

"I was being honest, but you can believe what you want. I look forward to seeing your performance tomorrow though, Princess Belle." Chat assured her which turned the pink dusting to a full red blush. "Though I hope any kiss with the Beast is what you want." Chat said, which earned him this time a conflicted look.

"Let's not talk about that, please." Tiana replied, turning away from him now. Leaning back away from her, he frowned as he realized he ruined the joking mood.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't." Tiana said before he could even fully apologize. "Honestly, I hardly know the guy who is playing opposite me as lead. I've only ever talked to him during rehearsals and that's it." Tiana admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

Chat didn't know what to say. His chest constricted just at thinking of her kissing the stranger, almost as much as it did looking at her with her friend.

There was a buzz from behind them, Tiana turning and looking back towards her bed before back at him. "That would be one of my alarms to let me know to start getting ready for bed." Tiana revealed, standing from the couch.

Sighing through his nose as he didn't want to leave her just yet, he stood as well. Tiana followed him as he walked towards the door. "I'll see you soon then, try not to overwork yourself." Chat said as they reached the door.

Tiana offered him a half smile. "Try not to get too jealous tomorrow then." Tiana replied, Chat laughing mockingly before turning to the door.

Before he could reach for the handle, Tiana's own hand stopped his. Turning back, she was closer than she had been a second ago.

Time stopped as he watched her lean up and his eyes rolled shut as her lips pressed against his cheek, fighting the desire in him that wished she had aimed just an inch to the left. All he could hear was his heart hammering against his rib cage and feel the warmth of her lips against his cheek.

Too soon did she pull away, and he had to take a second before he could open his eyes and look at her standing at the door now with a pretty red blush on her face. "I might not get to choose tomorrow, but that was my choice." Tiana said as he just stared at her.

She...did she just kissed him? His fingers grazed the spot on his cheek as he was speechless.

* * *

 **First I'm going to start with thank you for your patience about me not updating Wednesday. I really just needed the extra time on this chapter, and even with that I still was a little disappointed with the ending here. I had something else planned but that plan went astray. But either way, thank you for letting me take longer!**

 **But ooh, Tiana kissed Chat Noir? Though only on the cheek, but obviously something's been up with the cat all chapter. Now even more so since he's just awestruck by what happened. I wonder what... Not really considering it's pretty obvious.**

 **I wonder what's running through her mind since this was a strictly Adrien/Chat chapter. I also want to see how this Adrien and Marinette date will go with them at the ball. I'd better get started on that next chapter!**

 **Thank you all as always for reading! For sticking with me this far! I will see you next chapter!**


	39. Beauty

Why she had done it, she still didn't know. She ended up laying up tossing for nearly two hours because she just kept reliving what she had done over and over again.

It wasn't so much that she was surprised with herself. She knew she was prone to bouts of random acts, but she's never actually kissed someone like that. At least it was only on the cheek.

She's been confused on how to think about the cat, but that only served to fuel that confusion. She just felt bad because he seemed bothered that she had no choice over her first kiss. That technically wasn't a full one, but it was still her choice.

Albeit a bad one, from the way he reacted.

Even that next morning after her fitful sleep she could still see his face in her mind. How his eyes opened filled with surprise and he held his cheek. How he hardly said more than two words to her before he fled out her balcony doors and away into the night.

Obviously he must not have liked it if he ran that fast. How could she be so bold? So stupid?

No matter what her mind came to about him once the confusion ended, at least she knew his view on her due to how he reacted to her.

Tiana stirred the straw in her glass around and around, watching the water spin furiously. Much like her life was currently spinning.

"You're going to make me dizzy." Tiana let go of the straw as Martinus took a seat opposite her at the table. "Are you nervous about tonight?" Tinus asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"A little. How could I not be, I mean it's not like all of Paris will be watching." Tiana quipped which earned a soft chuckle from her best friend who was long used to her mannerisms. He has known her ten years, if he weren't used to it she would be disappointed in him.

"You're more worried about it because of your Mother." Tinus corrected her, reaching for one of the extra glasses on the table. "Leaving that topic behind, let's talk about this guy I heard you talking to in your room last night when I came to say goodnight." Tinus said with a sly smile as he leaned an elbow on the table.

"Let's not and instead talk about what's going on today instead." Tiana replied instead of wasting her breath denying his words. It was pointless to try to tell him otherwise, when he knew he was right about something nothing would change his mind.

"Oh come on, you really aren't going to tell me about this new cat that you got visiting you?" Tiana stared at him dumbstruck as to how he knew that. "I saw him briefly when you opened the door. I do remember you used to talk to Mighty Lion, so it doesn't surprise me that you talk to Paris' Chat Noir." Tinus mused with a lazy shrug of his shoulders.

"How did you..." Tiana trailed off and left it at that as the doors opened to the dining room and in flooded the staff with breakfast. She didn't want them knowing about her visitor.

"So tonight then. You have a mask for the ball?" Tinus asked as the staff placed everything on the table for them.

"Yes, Gabriel is supposed to give it to me when we leave for the ball. I don't know why not before, I had to make sure that dress fitted yesterday after all." Tiana reminded as she leaned back and out of the way so the staff could finish placing plates down.

"Maybe they want it to be a surprise. Are all your friends coming?" Tinus asked as he began filling his plate with the various foods provided for them.

"Yes. Four of them actually are going as couples, which I'm proud of Lover Boy for offering to take Mari since she was so excited for the ball." Tiana explained, Tinus chuckling through a mouthful.

"Are these the two that the girl accidentally told him how she felt but he was having his own love issues?" Tinus asked, Tiana nodding in response as she took a bite of a croissant. "Your friends are like those teen dramas you see on TV." Tinus commented before laughing, Tiana laughing right along with him.

At least with Tinus around it was easier to forget about her inner meltdown about her mix ups.

The rest of the morning went like a blur, people coming in and out of the estate setting up for the ball much later after the performance and others here because of knowing either Grandfather or her Mother that wasn't going to be here much longer.

Even before noon she had been shuffled about, poked and prodded, dressed up and painted like a doll and everything when there was still hours to go. When half past noon struck she was being called down to leave with Grandfather, Mother and apparently the Agreste's were riding in their own limo but going the same way.

Odd, she would have thought Gabriel would be riding with them due to how closely he's been working with Mother.

She figured out why he wasn't riding along when Martinus was paraded out next, all dressed up in his clown suit as she called it yesterday because it was still weird to see him in a suit.

In fact, it was weirder how both he and Grandfather were basically matching, both in a white suit but only Grandfather walked with his cane.

Tiana was a little surprised, because she knew how Mother felt about Tinus. But considering the fact that now he was a Prince, she assumed she was putting up with him more because of his new title.

The ride to the theater was filled with silence other than the occasional chatter between Grandfather and Tinus. Looking away from the window, she noticed Mother was just sitting on her phone tapping away at the screen.

Of course, she was probably giving orders to everyone at the theater before they even get there.

Mother looked up from her phone for a second and their eyes locked. Here we go.

"I expect you to be focused tonight, Tatiana." Mother said as she tucked her phone into her purse. "I gave you this role for a reason, I expect you to take it seriously and give a memorable performance tonight." Mother said while sitting up and straightening her dress.

"I'm sure she will do splendid tonight, Delphine." Grandfather spoke up, but instead earned himself a curt glare from her Mother that Tiana was surprised took her so long to give him.

"Splendid won't suffice. All of Paris will be coming to these shows, most of them tonight since we sold out within hours of tickets going on sale. They expect entertainment, perfection." Mother lectured her own father as Tiana rolled her eyes, noticing the way even Tinus was growing uncomfortable.

"They expect a show, yes. But perfection is not what they expect. She's still young, she-"

"Whether she is young or not doesn't matter."

This is going to be a long car ride.

Why does she always have to argue with Grandfather within minutes of them being close by to one another?

By the time they pulled onto the street of the theater, Mother had stopped her arguing with Grandfather at last. It was silent in the car once more, the kind of silence that you're just waiting for a pin to drop. Almost suffocating even.

"Will Father be at the theater soon?" Tiana spoke up in hopes of breaking the silent tension.

"He should arrive soon." Grandfather answered before Mother turned her gaze on her once more.

"Your Father and I will be in the center box seats tonight. He will be here, he knows how important tonight is for all of us." For all of us, or you?

Tiana forced a small smile before turning her own gaze out the window once more.

Faintly she felt fur brush against her rib cage, Verro's silent reminder that he was still here for her even when her own Mother treated her like a puppet.

The limo pulled to a stop and she could already see the flashing cameras out on the street even through the windows. She really wasn't looking forward to this.

"Come, it's time to begin." Mother said, treating her like a dog with her orders before without even waiting she got out of the limo the moment the driver opened their doors.

Grandfather and Martinus were next, leaving her for last. The moment her heels clicked against the pavement her eyes nearly were blinded by all the flashing camera lights. It was worse than when people went mad over General or Rogue Wolf.

Someone stepped up beside her as she walked up towards the doors, casting him a small smile as she had almost forgotten he was dragged into this whole making a grand appearance thing today.

Adrien sent her a small smile back but she felt as though it was a little off. Perhaps he was bothered by all the attention, then again he was a famous model. He would be used to this by now.

Walking quick and keeping a smile for the crowd, they entered the relative safety of the theater at last. With a glance around, Tiana realized Mother was already gone. At least Grandfather was still around, talking jovially with Tinus.

"I'm afraid to see how many people you'll have lined up out your dressing room tonight if that's the line you have right now." Adrien spoke up, dragging her from her thoughts as he motioned towards the crowd outside the doors behind them.

Tiana chuckled softly. "Probably not many, Mother wouldn't allow it I'm sure." Tiana replied, looking away when teasing light in his green eyes took a somber one.

Today was supposed to be about more than her relationship with her Mother. Any other day this could be discussed, but not today.

"Miss. Serafini." Tiana looked towards the voice to see the little man that acted as her costume designer when Gabriel wasn't around. "Everything is ready for us to begin preparing you for tonight. If you'll just come with me, we'll begin at haste." The little man said as he waved a hand in the direction he wanted her to go.

"I'll see you later, Lover Boy." Tiana said to Adrien with a smile, waving to Grandfather and Tinus before she was led off to begin the primping and preening that she had known was going to happen.

Not long into getting ready, as a hairdresser was busy drying her hair Tinus somehow wormed his way back into her dressing room. "You look like a real Princess now." Tinus chimed, Tiana snorting as the little man, William as he reminded her of his name, glared at him for half a second for intruding.

That glare probably didn't last long because he realized he's glaring at a man that could probably flatten him with how strong he looks.

"Can we not do the whole Prince and Princess thing again?" Tiana asked as her hairdresser wrapped her hair in a towel and proceeded to walk away to grab the things to do her nails.

"Oh fine." Tinus agreed reluctantly but still smiled none the less. "Oh, your friend that you call Lover Boy said that someone dropped something off for you. It's in the hallway, Beau wouldn't let me bring it in." Tinus explained, Tiana rolling her eyes at her supposed bodyguard.

"Could you grab it and tell him if he tries to tell you otherwise that I said it was fine. If he questions me, I'll just redirect him to Grandfather." Tiana said with a smirk, Tinus snickering before mockingly saluting her and leaving the room once more.

When he came back a minute or two later, she was mildly surprised to see he had a bouquet with him of black and green flowers. "Looks like you have an admirer already." Tinus teased, Tiana standing up from her chair even though she knew it would annoy her hairdresser.

"Who sent these?" Tiana asked, trying to take them from Tinus only for him to pull them out of her reach and instead walk over to her table and placed them down.

"It came with a card." Tinus revealed, presenting a little white card held between his thumb and index finger. "If you tell me about your visitor last night, I might be inclined to..." Tinus was cut short when William somehow managed to jump and snatch the card from his hands.

"Do not waste her time, young man. You may be a Prince, but she has many things to do today to get ready." William chastised her friend, Tiana snickering at the sight as Tinus looked like some wounded animal at being berated for his teasing.

William handed her the card a second later before walking away, muttering beneath his breath as he began grabbing other things to continue preparing her for the show.

Sitting back down, Martinus took a seat opposite her with a small pout. Sticking her tongue out at him, she opened the card.

She nearly snapped it right back shut upon seeing the black inked paw print on the paper. For half a second, she thought somehow someone had figured out that she was in fact the wolf that tagged buildings with a wolf paw print. But then she realized it wasn't canine, but feline.

Words were neatly scribbled in matching black ink beneath the print. " _Beautiful roses for the Beauty of the play, knock them out of their seats tonight. Your favorite Knight – Chat Noir._ "

Tiana could feel her heart slowly picking up in pace as she read that one sentence on the card. Even after reading it over and over her heart continued racing, unsure what to think. Chat Noir sent her a bouquet? He would be watching tonight?

Tiana looked at the bouquet of black and green roses on her table once again, seeing his eyes flash in her mind in that same green color. He ran last night though, why would he send her flowers?

"I'm going to assume by how you're looking surprised after reading that card that it was sent by someone you weren't expecting." Tinus broke her train of thought fortunately so she wouldn't overwork herself in curiosity and worry about why the hero of Paris did this.

It's not even like there's anything between them. She was a civilian as far as he knew, and he a hero. Even when she's Rogue, they still just talk. But...why would she test her luck last night then? What was this cat doing to her mind?

"Tiana." Fingers snapped in front of her face and pulled her back out of her thoughts. "You look like if you think any harder right now smoke will start rising from your head." Tinus commented, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Grandfather?" Tiana asked instead of giving him satisfaction by countering his teasing with some of her own.

"I was, but then he told me to come keep you company. So you're stuck with me until curtain call." Tinus revealed, Tiana mentally groaning as while she knew it would keep her mind occupied, he would also tease her endlessly about the bouquet.

Maybe the teasing will keep her distracted from her still racing heart. As long as she didn't look at the flowers, maybe she would be fine.

* * *

Adrien fiddled with his ring nervously as he sat alone up in his box seat. He knew how much he had been testing his luck by sending that bouquet under his alias, but after catching her reaction as he was "passing by" he couldn't help but be happy about it now.

What was he doing? Why was he doing this? Why was it just seeing the way she blushed and couldn't say a word until someone grabbed her attention made his own mind blank and his own heart race?

Tiana was his friend, but since last night after he ran off after she kissed his cheek he hasn't been able to think straight just at looking at her pretty blush or kind smile.

What was happening to him?

Adrien stopped twisting his ring around his finger when Plagg floated in front of his face. "Plagg, you really shouldn't-" Plagg held a paw up to silence him.

"You keep obsessing over her like you do with Ladybug and this time I'm going to just shove you at her." Plagg warned him, Adrien furrowing his eyebrows at his Kwami for accusing him of obsessing over Tiana.

"I'm not obsessing over her." Adrien argued, but Plagg just shook his head and floated over to his arm rest.

"You sent her roses from Chat Noir. You've never done that for anyone else, not even Ladybug. Though, it's hard to send something to someone that you don't know who they are." Plagg said with a shrug of his tiny shoulders.

"I used cash though which is untraceable. It's not like she'll know." Adrien reminded since as far as he was aware she had no idea who he really was. It did feel a little shady, having all these conversations with her as Chat when he was her friend out of costume too.

But he was careful, he didn't use his bank card to send her the roses. He didn't show up as Chat Noir, he did it sneakily. And he wasn't obsessing like Plagg thinks.

"It doesn't change the fact that she's in your mind every other minute. Aren't you supposed to be going out with Marinette? Seems a little weird even to me for you to be looking at one girl like she's Camembert when you already have some." Plagg said before purring as he realized he mentioned his favorite thing in the world.

"I'm not thinking of her that often. And I'm technically not dating Marinette either." Adrien corrected the Kwami.

"Yet?" Plagg asked with a smirk at him.

"Plagg." Adrien growled his name before looking away. Yes, Marinette was his date tonight to the ball, but that didn't mean they were dating. Though, it also wasn't ruled out that they would date either, since he did promise to give her a chance.

Plagg suddenly dove back inside his jacket so he assumed he heard someone approaching before he did. A second later the door to the balcony opened, looking back to see and surprised to see it was Mr. Roux.

"A little early to be waiting in your seat, is it not?" Bastien asked with the usual kind smile that he now realized must be where Tiana grew her own.

"I have nothing else to do. Besides, it gives me time to think just sitting up here." Adrien said before Bastien walked over and took the seat beside his own.

It was silent for a minute as Bastien looked out over the balcony, following his gaze to watch the actors scurry back and forth over the stage. "It must be something important on your mind, I was expecting you to be keeping my granddaughter company instead. You two have been growing to be quiet the friends." Bastien mused, Adrien smiling a little as he wasn't wrong.

His friendship with Tiana has gradually been growing closer over the past few months. He wasn't even this close to Marinette when they knew each other this long.

"Yes, we have. So long as I don't threaten to tickle her." Adrien advised, Bastien laughing at the notion as Adrien knew he must know best how much Tiana despises being tickled.

"You've all been good for her, since she's met you. But particularly you, as you I've seen in our home the most out of all of her new friends. For the first time in a while, her smiles don't look as forced. I want to thank you for being her friend and being here for her." Bastien said with a warm smile, Adrien returning one even though he didn't need thanks.

"Sir, you don't need to thank me. I'm her friend and I promised her to listen and try to help with whatever problems she might have. She also told me I'm stuck with her doing the same for me." Adrien admitted, Bastien chuckling a little.

"Well I'd like to ask a favor of you then." Bastien revealed, peaking his interests as he has never asked him to do anything outside of practice. "Depending on how tonight goes, she might be in low spirits. I'm sure she's probably told you about her relationship with her Mother." Adrien nodded when Bastien looked to him for a confirmation. "Her mother can be quiet demanding, and she won't admit to it but she does everything in her power just to try to please her in hopes that it will fix things. It gets to her, and there is only so much comfort she will take with me. Please, be there for her if she needs it. Don't let her convince herself if Delphine is not satisfied tonight that it is her fault." Bastien requested, Adrien just staring at him for a moment as he let everything sink in.

He knew Tiana wouldn't admit to it either, just as Bastien said. Why else would she agree to this play if not to please her Mother. That's part of the reason why he still modeled was for his own Father. But would there actually be a chance of Delphine not being satisfied? Tiana's worked so hard!

"I promise, sir. I won't let her get herself down. But I don't see how Delphine couldn't be satisfied tonight, Tiana's putting a lot into tonight as well." Adrien reminded, Bastien smiling a little easier at his words.

"Yes she's near running herself to exhaustion. I'm quiet glad that not only Martinus is here today to keep her grounded but you as well." Bastien said and Adrien looked away as the urge to glare at the mention of her friend was strong.

"Hopefully if she comes tomorrow it will help her relax." Adrien said before there was another knock at the door behind them.

"That would be my queue to get back to work. I hope you and your Father enjoy the show tonight, and thank you for being there for my granddaughter should she need it." Bastien bowed to him before departing from the balcony.

Adrien just sat there for a few minutes in silence, letting the whole exchange sink in. If only Bastien knew just how much he actually talked to Tiana, not just as Adrien but as Chat Noir. He could only wonder what he would think of knowing Chat Noir visited her room some nights.

...he was going to know he's interacted with her more now because of that bouquet, wasn't he? He hadn't thought of the possibility of she would tell others who the flowers were from.

Adrien pressed a knuckle to his temple in frustration as Plagg snorted from within his jacket.

Soon he got bored of sitting up in the balcony alone, so he made his way downstairs towards Tiana's dressing room where he found a group of actresses and actors all circled up passing around a ball.

It looked weird for a minute seeing them all dressed and ready and playing a game, before he felt a presence at his side. "They're playing a warm up improv game." Martinus spoke before he even looked at him. "It's a tradition for them even before rehearsal apparently." Martinus shrugged his shoulders before Adrien noticed Tiana worm her way out of the mix, his eyes widening upon seeing her in a pastel blue and white dress and her hair a different color now.

Like the Belle from the movies and such, they had managed to either dye her hair or give her a brunette wig to match her character.

Tiana walked over to them and he also noticed how she was wearing low heels now in comparison to the high ones she wore coming in earlier. She looked...wow.

"Lover Boy, I nearly thought you left for a little while." Tiana teased him, and he found his way out of his shock over her appearance enough to smile back at her.

"I was talking to your Grandfather." Adrien admitted, technically not a lie as to what he was up to. He couldn't exactly say he was sending her flowers in secret for her first show.

Then again, he still couldn't really give himself an answer on why he did it. Part of him knew it was because he was being a good friend, but he couldn't ignore the fact that seeing her reaction to receiving them made his day so far and made him much happier than it should have.

"He should be getting the orchestra warmed up, so it must have been important." Tiana mused, turning away from him as someone brushed past him. Upon seeing the furry costume, he figured this must be her co-lead. The beast that her Mother hired after the last left.

"Tatiana, Miss. Delphine is ready to speak with you now." The man advised as Adrien stepped back from his bulky, very realistic costume. Father did an amazing job on the details of each costume.

Adrien noticed the way her happiness faded a little at the mention of her Mother, wanting to help but she nodded to her partner before he walked away at the urging of others. "Just over an hour till curtains, I guess I'll see you both after the show." Tiana said with a small smile, Martinus nodding beside him before walking away. "Let me know how the others enjoy tonight, I'll see you after the show Lover Boy." Tiana said before starting to walk away.

Adrien didn't let her get more than a few feet away before he followed after her. "Hold on." Adrien said, fingertips grazing her wrist as he caught up to her. "Good luck tonight, I'm sure it'll be amazing. You'll be amazing." Adrien assured her with a small smile, cursing the burn to his cheeks he felt at changing his words at the last second.

Tiana smiled gratefully up at him and he felt his chest swell upon realizing he helped lift her souring moods. "Thank you, Adrien." Tiana said before she was shuffled away by the many stage hands.

Adrien stood there for a minute until she disappeared into the scurrying crowd. Upon realizing that some passersby were staring at him, he straightened and fiddled with his tie anxiously before starting to head back to the balcony like she said he should.

Returning, he was a little surprised to see Natalie and the Gorilla already waiting. But Father still hadn't arrived. Hopefully he would come up and sit for the show instead of stay backstage. It's been so long since they've done anything together outside of his modeling or Father's career.

"Your Father said that he will come up five minutes before curtains raise." Natalie revealed as he took his seat again, her usual calm stoical look broken with a small smile that made him hopeful.

Sitting up in the balcony gave him a chance to watch the audience as they arrived and took there seats, the theater filling with an excited buzz as he watched from above. He almost wanted to be seated down there among them, so he could hear how they would react to the show. Instead of secluded up in this balcony.

But at least it was a chance of quality time with Father.

Adrien looked to his right at hearing excited squealing from the balcony next to his own, knowing that squeaking and squealing anywhere. Right on cue, Marinette and her parents appeared at the edge of the balcony looking over the ledge, Marinette smiling ear to ear.

He chuckled softly at how happy she was, how happy her parents looked. He couldn't help but notice the beautiful red dress Marinette was wearing, realizing that this was the one she worked so hard on.

Suddenly her blue bell gaze met his, and he smiled over at her as she blushed shyly before smiling back at him and waving. Her parents too noticed him and waved.

Huh, he wonders if Tiana gave box seats to all of their friends or just Marinette and her family.

As the time grew closer to curtain call, he didn't have to wonder as all of their friends started showing up as well. He was a little surprised upon seeing Nathaniel and his parents join Marinette's balcony. But then he saw Alya and Nino and their family in another balcony and realized it was a seating situation.

Well, Mari and Nathaniel have been more friendly recently. So at least they all get to see the show together. Instead of him in this secluded balcony.

The door to his balcony opened on time five minutes before curtain call. Adrien even held his breath until Father took the seat beside him silently, straightening his tie and cuffs before looking over to him.

He nearly gasped when Father drew an unusual soft smile before looking out at the stage in front of them. Finally, they were going to spend time together as a family.

When the clock struck the hour a hush came over the theater before the orchestra started to lightly play. "Once upon a time, in the hidden heart of France, a handsome young prince lived in a beautiful castle." A women spoke over the music of the orchestra.

The curtains rose to show the "prince" among many dancers. As the narrator continued, the prince was transformed into a beast in a flash of smoke. Huh, come to think of it he wonders if Delphine had a hand in with Disney to get her hands on this. They had just released that new movie.

The curtain fell after the beast was transformed and rose again after a light change of music to show a street view. "Little town, it's a quiet village." His breath caught in his throat as a feminine voice began singing. He knew that voice...

"There goes the baker with his tray like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell." Belle/Tiana walked across the stage in the midst of other scurrying villagers. He's never heard her sing before...

Her voice, her singing is magical! It's so light, airy, happy!

"Good morning monsieur Jean! Have you lost something again?" Belle asked a scruffy man as he greeted her.

"Well, I believe I have. Problem is, I can't remember what!" Jean answered, the scene continuing before the villagers began to sing now.

All the while Belle walked on with a smile on her face and book in hand. Did she always look this happy?

He could believe each word the villagers sung about her, she was the beauty of their crowd. The happiness.

"Oh! Isn't this amazing? It's my favorite part because, you'll see. Here's where she meets Prince Charming, but she won't discover that it's him till chapter three!"

Adrien realized something as he couldn't take his eyes off of Tiana. Each time her mouth opened to sing or even speak, it was like he was hanging on to each word. He couldn't look away. His heart wouldn't stop racing inside his chest.

He was almost holding his breath even in wait for her next line. Wait...he's only ever been this way with one Ladybug before. It couldn't be...could it?

* * *

 **Before I begin, and if I have to type this one more time so help me, I've noticed Fanfict hasn't been saving some of my chapter edits. This is the fourth time I've had to do this one -_- If you all see any errors or irregularities before I do, please let me know. I typically don't go back and reread the chapters after I post them, so you'd see it before I do.**

 **I'm sorry for last Friday, by the way. I noticed I was half an hour late, I had the chapter finished on time and everything but I had a phone call right before I was due to update. I start my new job this Friday, so it's likely I won't update that day. But this chapter is on time, and hopefully makes up for that delay!**

 **Adrien's starting to realize that the way he's looking at Tiana's changed a little now, huh? I would say it's about time, but I also can't help but laugh at his blindness at times when it comes to love that doesn't revolve around Ladybug. But not only this, he's sent Tiana flowers for her show.**

 **And look at her reaction to that. Also, quick question, how do you all feel about the play choice? I wanted to ask that a while back but kept forgetting!**

 **Anyways, thanks as always for reading! Thank you as well to those of you who have left reviews, reading those really inspires me to keep writing this story. It helps me keep in mind that you all still actually want to read this story. I can never thank you enough, and I will see you all next chapter!**


	40. Racing

Through a majority of the performance, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even in the scenes were she wasn't present, he waited for the sight of her currently brunette hair as she would come back out on stage.

Near the beginning he found himself anxious at realizing he couldn't keep his eyes off of her, that he wanted nothing more than to hear her continue singing. Or even speak.

But as the play continued, his anxiousness slowly melted away as he watched. Almost like hearing or even seeing her had a calming effect on him.

By the time intermission came around, he was almost tempted to see if he could go down back stage to see her for the short amount of time. But upon seeing that neither Father nor Delphine from her own box were even moving, he scrapped that idea.

Why was he looking at her like this? What was so different now that he couldn't take his eyes off of her?

Usually it's only Ladybug that he would look at with such excitement. But there was a reason for that, he loved Ladybug. He didn't feel that way about Tiana, he couldn't with how he felt about Ladybug.

Could he?

As the performance began again though and Belle grew closer to the Beast, even though it was exceptionally well done and believable a sour taste took over his mouth at seeing the way the beast would look at her. Or she at him.

When the end neared and she confessed her love for the beast, it literally felt like a punch in his stomach. He almost felt happy when the Beast seemingly ran out of time. Only to be saved by Belle's love.

As the beast was transformed back to the man from the beginning of the play, he knew what was coming and almost looked away. He didn't want to see it, he knew personally that Tiana didn't even want to do it.

The Prince's body blocked the view of the audience from seeing the actual kiss, but she leaped into his arms and wove her arms around his neck. The whole audience burst into cheers and applause and he couldn't join in with them.

He didn't want to join in with them, in fact. He didn't want to applaud this guy kissing his Kitten when she didn't want to.

As the show was wrapping up he noticed Father change his gaze from the stage towards him. An unfamiliar look came to his eyes that confused Adrien for a moment before he looked away and back down at the stage.

What was that about?

When the show actually ended, he applauded this time and even stood with the rest of the audience. Even if there were bits and pieces he didn't like particularly, it was amazingly done and well performed by all.

Delphine even somehow managed her way on stage to bow with the cast, Adrien chuckling a little when even over the cheering and applause he heard Marinette squeal from the balcony beside his own.

As the cast continued to bow bouquets were thrown up onto the stage along with stray roses and varying other flowers. It reminded him of the roses he sent from himself earlier, and he wondered if she would keep any of these others as well as the ones from Chat Noir.

When at last the curtain fell, he stood from his seat. Father didn't stand just yet, and he looked down at him curiously before after another minute he too rose. "You seemed to enjoy the performance." Father spoke as the Gorilla opened their balcony door for them.

Adrien looked at him in surprise, not having thought if it were obvious that he couldn't look away. Was it really that obvious?

"It...was amazingly done. All the actors and actresses did an amazing job, and their costumes were fantastic, Father." Adrien admitted, not actually a lie. He just wouldn't say a word about Tiana because he didn't want his Father to think anything was going on between them.

Who knows what he would do if he thought so. He's never taken kindly to any of the admirers he's had over the years, even if he himself wasn't interested in them in return.

Father stared at him for a moment before humming and walking out the door, followed by Natalie and the Gorilla who waited outside the open door for him.

Adrien followed after him and down towards backstage, feeling his pulse pick up with each step closer towards the bustling backstage where everyone was even more excitable than they had been before the performance.

Well, at least they're all happy with the way it went. Hopefully Delphine was too and wouldn't stress out Tiana.

"You will be changing here and then we will make our way to the Serafini's estate." Father spoke as they continued walking. Well it was probably a smart move considering how big the crowd outside likely was, not to mention all the paparazzi going mad out there.

Hopefully he would look nothing like his alter ego to anyone while wearing that mask.

As they made their way back towards the same dressing room where he got fitted for the suit, he noticed the large crowd around Tiana's room and one another. Was that crowd just the people working on the show, or had people gotten backstage?

The occasional flash of a camera let him know it wasn't all people who worked on the show, shaking his head and keeping his pace with Father in hopes that not only would they not see himself, but not give Tiana too much grief.

By the time he was changed into his suit and meeting the Gorilla back in the hall, the crowd had subsided. Looking around, Father was nowhere to be seen. He was probably either waiting in the limo or with Delphine.

The Gorilla nudged him to keep walking, Adrien feeling his pulse quicken as they neared Tiana's dressing room. Why was he being so weird, this was his friend.

His pulse stopped racing upon passing the open door and seeing no one within. She must have been rushed to change and get moving on to the ball. Hopefully he'd see her before then.

Walking out the back entrance of the theater to avoid the crowd, he could even hear the noise from all the people. At least Paris was having a great night.

Getting into the limo, Father was waiting for him like he had thought he would be. Not a second later did they start moving towards the estate.

"You can meet up with your date after everything has calmed down at the masquerade." Father spoke up after a few minutes silence, Adrien surprised for a moment because not only had he forgotten about the fact that Marinette was his date but that he had asked Father in the first place. "But, I expect not to see too many pictures tomorrow in the media or on any of your social medias." Father said firmly, Adrien nodding instead of answering from the stern look Father had.

He might be agreeing to it, but obviously he's not happy about it.

"I also expect you to leave the ball when I do. You will not be going anywhere with your date or your friends afterwards." Father said once they pulled into an entrance to the estate he hasn't yet used. There were already plenty of cars here though, so it was probably the back entrance.

"Yes, Father." Adrien agreed even though he really didn't want to. He wanted to have a fun night with his friends, it was the first official day of summer.

When finally the limo came to a stop, Father got out first followed by himself. Once he has a chance he's going to text Mari so they can all figure out when to meet up. Hopefully Tiana will join them all as well, it wouldn't be the same without her.

Everything became a rush once they entered the back entrance of the estate, staff members rushing around as well as early guests. Everything looked wonderful so far, and he barely made it little more into the building when the Gorilla shoved his mask in his hands.

Dang, he almost got away without having to wear it. He really didn't want to risk showing his alter ego off.

Reluctantly, he placed the fake feathered mask over his face. At least the feathers are fake...

The Gorilla left him alone after a few more minutes, and he realized he had no idea what else to do since he hasn't yet seen Tiana. Where is she, is she still getting ready?

His jacket pocket buzzed, so he pulled out his phone to find a text from Marinette.

Oh good, at least soon Mari and the others will be arriving so he's not stuck just watching people rush around. If only he could go see Tiana, wherever she was right now.

Keeping contact with Mari and through her the others, all the guests began arriving within no time. Soon, the Gorilla escorted him out of the halls and into a large ball room that he didn't even know was in the building. How big is this estate?

Once they were in the ballroom, the Gorilla kept a close eye on him as fancily dressed guests began pouring into the room. He kept an eye on the growing crowd for any sign of his friends, and after about twenty minutes he finally spotted Marinette. Still dressed in the red dress she wore to the theater earlier, but now also wearing a feathered mask.

He could almost feel his nose begin burning in anticipation of all the actual feathers that were likely in the room.

Before he could try to make his way over to Marinette and the others, the Gorilla clamped a hand over his shoulder with a grunt.

Oh right, he had to wait a little bit until everyone had arrived and everything calmed down. Great...

Sending Mari a quick text explaining himself, he moved off to the side of the room with the Gorilla in tow to avoid all the bustling guests. There were the few who recognized him even with the mask on, and he'd smile and barely get a chance to greet them before the Gorilla would scare them off.

He's almost out of high school and technically almost an adult, shouldn't he be able to stand up for and protect himself by now?

After all, he did protect the whole of Paris most nights with Ladybug. He shouldn't need an overprotective bodyguard anymore.

Before long the loud hum of guests began to dull and looking down towards the other end of the room he watched as Father entered with Natalie at the top of a grand staircase. Why did he not have to wear a mask?

Next followed Mr. Roux in a white suit, again, and sequined mask. Beside him was a woman he didn't recognize, so he assumed it was probably family. He sure was smiling wider than usual though.

Then followed Delphine and the man he usually only saw on TV, Tiana's father Enzo. Good, maybe Bastien would be wrong and Tiana would just be happy to have both of her parents here tonight instead of wrapped in their work.

Thinking of Tiana, his breath caught in his throat in anticipation as the doors behind them opened again. Only to sigh upon seeing it was just her friend Martinus again, looking a lot like Bastien in that he was wearing a white suit as well, only a black sequined mask.

He was about to look away, only to realize Martinus was holding the door open. It seemed like all the sound around him faded to nothing as he watched her step through the doorway in that gold and black dress that shimmered like a starlit night sky once more. Her hair was done up in curls and back to it's usual black.

Even after an entire play where she was predominantly wearing a dress, it was still such a change to see her in a dress. To see the girl that was usually dressed in jeans and t-shirts become this lovely woman in an elegant dress.

She smiled at Martinus before turning her gaze out to the room and for a second he thought her blue gaze would drift towards him.

He never wanted more for someone to just look at him than he did right then.

Even at the distance away that he was, he could see the amusement behind that white feathered mask laid over her face.

He wanted to go up to her, he wanted to go talk to her.

The sound of a throat clearing drew him out of whatever state he had been put in just by looking at Tiana, turning to his left to see Father staring him down with an unreadable look.

Crap, how obvious was he that he had been staring?

Her dress was phenomenal, she was his friend. He was just...really happy for her. For her big night. That's the reason he was staring...right?

Father didn't say a word to him, and that just made him anxious. Father instead looked away from him and in the direction of Tiana now descending the stairs with Martinus before producing a mask of his own from his jacket pocket and putting it on with a new frown.

Why wasn't he saying anything to him?

"You may go see your date now." Father spoke after another minute of silence, and he was confused for a second on what he was talking about before remembering Marinette was waiting for him.

Why did he keep forgetting that?

What's happening to him?

Walking off in search of Marinette and his friends felt almost mechanical. His eyes kept drifting in the direction of the staircase. It took him nearly fifteen minutes just to find the others because he kept getting distracted when he would think he saw a flash of gold.

When finally he did find his friends, he was almost disappointed to see Tiana wasn't among them. But they were all smiling and laughing so happily, he couldn't help smile along with them. The happiness was infectious.

"You finally got away from your Father?" Marinette asked as he walked up beside her, smiling down at her apologetically that he had to let her show up to the ball without him when he was supposed to be her date.

"Yes, I'm free for the rest of the night." Adrien revealed, narrowly avoiding a smack on the back of happiness from Nino and laughing when Alya dragged him off seconds later to go dance.

The rest of the group started pulling off to go dance as well, until it was just himself and Marinette.

"Would you like to dance?" Adrien asked, holding out his hand invitingly towards Mari and earning a shy blush that couldn't be covered by her mask.

Her in red though... it's like something feels familiar and he can't quiet put his finger on it.

Marinette shyly took his hand that was still outstretched to her so he led her out to the dance floor among their already dancing friends.

It's been a while since last he danced with her. Come to think of it, it's been a few years now.

It still felt like the last time though. At first it was a little shy and awkward, but after a few minutes of dancing together both Mari and he himself loosened up a little. Her shy blush faded away and she smiled back when he smiled down at her.

Adrien could forget about all the other people dancing around them for a moment and just enjoy the time he and Mari were having together dancing.

Well, forget until the music picked up and Alya and Nino suddenly appeared at their side and started dancing with them. Alya and Marinette exchanging giddy smiles and laughter that was contagious.

It's always better when they're all together. But... it still feels like something's missing.

Adrien couldn't quiet think of what was missing when he would twirl Marinette around for half a second before Alya would steal her away with a loud laugh before she herself would be taken by Nino. He was only able to figure out what was missing when he saw the brief flash of gold in the distance.

Their friend group wasn't complete without her... But she's probably either stuck with the same charade his Father had him performing before or Martinus just wanted him all to herself.

He hasn't even seen her since she was on the stairs, all he keeps seeing are glimpses of her dress.

He needs to stop. He's still having a great time with the rest of his friends, why does he keep looking for her? Since when does he need just to see her so badly?

"Dude." Adrien looked at Nino to see a little smirk on his face. "The ladies have gone to get drinks and your just staring into space." Nino revealed, Adrien just then realizing how Mari and Alya were in fact not dancing with them anymore.

How long had he been searching the crowd?

"If you want to see someone so badly, go ahead. I can keep Marinette occupied a little bit." Nino offered with a shrug of his shoulders, but the smirk still prevailed. "Last I saw her, she was finishing a dance with the Prince." Nino revealed and this time Adrien sighed not at how Martinus was with her but Nino's obvious teasing.

"Nino-"

"I'm just saying, dude. If that's not who you're searching the entire room for, go ahead and look for them then." Nino said before turning and heading off after their dates.

Adrien hesitated for a moment before following after Nino. He wanted to see Tiana, he wouldn't deny that. But he wouldn't ditch Marinette, his date, to go find her. He'll see her eventually.

Hopefully by then he'll have his mind sorted a little better.

For the next half hour, they all sat around a table and had drinks as Alya took many many pictures of not only them but of the ball as well. The rest of their friends began filing in to tables around them slowly as they laughed and enjoyed themselves.

After letting Marinette take a picture of herself with him, he nearly forgot Father's order from earlier. "Hold on." Adrien said when she went to tuck her phone back in her purse. "Can you not post that online, Father didn't want any pictures of us online or in the media tomorrow possibly." Adrien explained, which earned him confused glances from not only Mari but the others at their table.

"Why?" Marinette asked, and for a brief moment he saw the happiness fade from her bluebell eyes and felt guilt settle in his stomach that he had to ask this. "Was he not okay with you coming tonight with me?" Marinette asked and that only added to his guilt.

"No, that's not it." Adrien assured her without hesitating. Technically, he knew Father wasn't entirely okay with it. But he still allowed him to go with her, which gave Adrien some hope that maybe he wouldn't care so much soon. "You know how he is, he just wants a professional appearance for both himself and me." Adrien explained carefully to try to not hurt Mari's feelings.

Instead, Alya scoffed from beside Marinette. "It's a masquerade ball. We're all wearing masks, so how's that for professionalism? Half the people in here probably don't even recognize you when you're wearing a mask." Oh if only she knew how much it worried him just knowing he had to wear this mask. No matter how much Plagg assures him, he's still going to worry that someone thinks he's Chat and put two and two together.

"I'll just keep this for us, Adrien. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble with your Father." Marinette said instead of agreeing with Alyas comment. She was still smiling happily, so he hoped that deep down this wasn't bothering her.

"Thank you, Marinette." Adrien thanked her with a smile of his own, patting her hand that was resting on the table up until Alya began cooing about how cute they were. Then Marinette started getting flustered and the whole situation about pictures was forgotten.

Soon it was back to the dance floor, this time Alya stealing Marinette away from him after only one song for them to dance together. He didn't mind, he enjoyed seeing his friends happy.

A new song came on and Adrien stepped back when Nathaniel asked Mari to dance, Alya going back to Nino at the somewhat slower song.

He started to feel left out a little. He even saw Chloe dancing with someone, wait is that Martinus?

Adrien had to do a double take as he noticed Chloe was dancing with the Prince that was Tiana's best friend. So where is Tiana?

A tap on his shoulder drew his attention, turning around. His eyes immediately widened upon setting on her, the jewels of her dress glimmering beneath the lights above them. She was positively glowing, even her smile that she was casting up at him.

"It's a little odd to be standing all alone in the middle of the dance floor, wouldn't you think Lover Boy?" His eyes shifted up from her smile to her happy blue eyed gaze as she spoke to him.

He could feel his pulse racing in his chest even as he smiled back at her. "Well, I'm not alone now, am I Kitten?" Adrien asked before without much thought offering his hand to her.

"You sure you want to dance with me? You have a date." Tiana reminded him by pointing a finger behind him to where Mari was likely still dancing with Nathaniel.

"She's dancing with someone else, just like your own date. I'm sure they won't mind." Adrien assured her while still keeping his hand outstretched to her in invitation.

Her gaze flickered away from him for a moment before she slowly took his hand, allowing him to lead her closer to him. The closer she got to him, the more he could feel his pulse race. For a second he even worried she would hear his pounding heart.

He thought his mind would be sorted a little better by the time he spoke to her, but it's like it's only worsening the closer she gets. This is his friend, he shouldn't be reacting to her this way.

"So have you all been enjoying yourselves tonight? I haven't had a chance yet to make my way to all of you." Tiana said as they danced together, Adrien focusing more on how in sync their movements were than his racing heart for a moment.

"It's been wonderful. The performance..." Adrien trailed off as he noticed the way her eyes dimmed a little at the mention of the play. "You were wonderful, Kitten." Adrien complimented her without hesitation. "It truly was an amazing experience to see, I'm sure everyone else in all of Paris would agree." Adrien continued as he noticed how with each words her eyes would light up a little more. He could feel himself swelling with pride at knowing his words had such an effect on her.

"Thank you." Tiana said so quietly he almost didn't hear over the music. "I've been worrying myself sick ever since it ended. I haven't had a chance to talk to my mother yet to hear any of the resulting reviews." Tiana admitted, this time Adrien frowning at knowing she had been doing what Bastien had worried about.

And he hadn't been helping her like he promised. Instead he was with their friends trying to enjoy the night.

"I'm sure she would agree with me that the entire performance was spectacular, Tiana. Don't worry yourself about it. Just enjoy tonight." Adrien offered, squeezing her hand that had been in his own gently before smiling wider at her when she smiled up at him.

Tiana was shoved into him not even a second later, looking away from her for half a second at the now fleeing form of his best friend. He deserves Alya, they both do the exact same stunts.

Hands now resting on her waist, he looked back to the woman in front of him who now had her own hands on his shoulders. "You'd think some people would be more subtle." Adrien snickered a little, realizing she knew it was one of their friends without even having to see.

"You'd think that, but you'd be wrong." Adrien replied, feeling his pulse start slowing down now at last. Maybe it was just jitters, he's not been around her when she's so prettily dressed before. It's just a new experience.

Right?

"Thank you, for not letting me worry myself about the performance." Tiana said after a minute of silently swaying to the gentle music. "If only you'd been around earlier, Martinus is no help when all giddy because of a party." Tiana revealed, Adrien resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of her friend.

"I promised to help you, remember. Even if we're both busy, I'm always willing to help you Kitten." Adrien reminded, before his eyes widened when she stepped forward and hugged him out of nowhere. He could feel his face burning for a moment before snapping to and gently returning the hug.

It broke when his face stopped being the only thing burning, his nose burning for a moment before he covered his mouth and sneezed.

Tiana stood back a little surprised before chuckling softly. "I'm not even the one wearing feathers. You're effected if they're even in the room?" Tiana asked, Adrien confused for a moment as he was sure he hadn't told her about his allergy.

"Did Father tell you?" Adrien asked, genuinely confused before she held her hand out to him this time. A little unsure, he took it and she began leading him away this time.

"He did when he told me the feathers of my mask were fake." Tiana revealed as she lead him towards a table littered with purses and flanked by her bodyguard. "Give me a second." Tiana said before plucking a purse from the table and digging through it.

Not a second more she pulled out a little container, opening it and pulling out a pill before handing it to him. "What is this?" Adrien asked, not too keen on taking random pills even if it was from his close friend.

"It's allergy medication. Benadryl specifically." Tiana revealed, Adrien staring at the little pink pill before back up at her for a moment. "I grabbed some of them because I knew ahead of time a lot of people here would be wearing potentially allergy inducing outfits. It'll make you a little tired, so if you don't want to take it now you don't have to." Tiana explained, and Adrien just stared at her again for another moment.

She was carrying around medicine specifically because she knew about his allergy? She planned ahead for him?

His heart started racing again as he watched her toss her purse back on the table. "Tiana you didn't have to..." She shushed him before nodding back towards the dance floor.

"It's no trouble, let's head back out there before your date starts worrying." Tiana offered, smiling as always. His own smile returned even over his adoration of her thoughtfulness before he led her back into the crowd, tucking the medicine in his jacket pocket for later should he need it.

Returning to the dance floor, Adrien noticed how Mari was still dancing with Nathaniel so he offered his hand to Tiana once more to dance. With a chuckle, she took it and they began dancing once more.

He couldn't deny, much to his guilt because she was his date, that it was a little more enjoyable dancing with Tiana. Yes, he and Mari went well together. But it was like each step or spin was in sync with Tiana.

When the music turned slow once again, his heart nearly beat out of his chest when she leaned into him. He knew she had to hear it now since she had her face in his shoulder.

But even with the underlining guilt because he had a date that he should be dancing with instead, he couldn't help the swell of happiness just at being so close to her.

Why was it she's only having this effect on him now after months of knowing one another?

Neither himself nor Tiana even had a chance to step back when the song changed, because she was stolen from his grip with a flash of movement. A little startled, he spotted her now in the mix of Mari, Alya and all the other girls.

Adrien chuckled a little at how they kept stealing his dance partners. The smile both of them had when with him was still present though, so he didn't mind.

Well, didn't mind up until Martinus appeared in the mix and spun Tiana into his arms. That left a sour taste in his mouth even at noticing all his friends were laughing at the sudden appearance of the Prince.

"Dude, I've seen you staring at her more tonight than your actual date." Nino spoke up from his side, Adrien looking at him now to not have to watch the way Tiana was still in Martinus' arms.

"I'm not staring, I'm just enjoying how happy everyone is." Adrien countered, but that only earned him a knowing smirk from his best friend.

"While it's good to see you moving on from the mystery girl, try to be a little more subtle. You do still have a date for tonight." Nino said with a slap of his hand on his shoulder before going to join Alya once more.

Moving on? What is he talking about? What does Ladybug have to do with this?

Adrien went to join Marinette once more, but as they danced Nino's words started to settle more at realizing his eyes kept flickering towards Tiana dancing with Martinus.

Nino can't be right. He can't be moving on from Ladybug for Tiana. Right? His racing heart when near her didn't help convince himself though...

* * *

 **We're back!**

 **I'm sooooo sorry this took so long! It took longer than expected to recover the four hundred pages that were lost when the last document was corrupted. Then the new job I had taken basically broke my will to continue writing this. I quit that job for other reasons, so I'm going to try to get back on track.**

 **Eww over a month since the last update. I'm disappointed in myself. But hopefully this chapter makes up for it. Since Adrien's starting to realize something's changing whenever he sees Tiana now. We'll see where that goes though, since I only just finished this chapter and haven't started the next.**

 **Thank you to all of you who have waited patiently. Also to those who have still reviewed as well! I've never had that corrupted file issue before, so hopefully it's a one time thing. I don't plan to give up so easily on this story. I'm unsure if my usual updating schedule will be back just yet of updating every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For right now I'm playing it by ear because it took me so long on this chapter due to being busy.**

 **But I'll no doubt keep updating. So thanks for sticking around! I hope you enjoyed this severely late chapter, and I'll see you all next chapter!**


	41. Dance

**Heads up before you read, this chapter has scenes that involve music. The other version of this chapter on QuoteV has the songs linked into the chapter, but sadly that cannot be done on here. So when you see the (*) in the chapter the first time, if you feel up to it look up More Than Friends by Victoria Duffield. The second time you see (*) look up Dance To This by Troye Sivan ft. Ariana Grande. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Adrien didn't want to think about the ball anymore. He didn't want to go back afterwards as Chat, but yet he did anyways.

Even with the sour taste on his tongue and the infuriating image of her dancing with that Prince still replaying in his mind, he still found himself across the way from her balcony not more than two hours after the ball came to an end.

He shouldn't be here.

He should still be at home, texting Marinette. Listening to her delight over how wonderful of an evening this had been.

He's glad it was wonderful for her. It was wonderful for him too up until the Prince stole his friend away and they disappeared up the steps he first spied her on not to be seen again at the event.

After that his smiles and laughter were all just a mask. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way, but he couldn't control it. He couldn't help the sour attitude that stole over him.

Chat flicked his gaze up to her balcony again as he spotted shadows moving behind the curtains, huffing as he leaned his chin on the edge of the roof.

There must be something wrong with him. He could hardly stand to look at Tiana with Martinus, but yet here he was basically spying on her room from the rooftop across the way.

Wishing she'd peek through those curtains, even though it would be extremely embarrassing for her to see him watching her balcony like this.

Chat sighed, pulling away from the edge of the roof and pressing his back against the ledge instead.

This was his friend, his good friend, and he's acting like some deviant stalker.

What's wrong with him?

His cat ears twitched as he heard a door slam near, about to stand up and investigate when instead he heard that voice that had him mesmerized during the performance.

"Absolutely no help." Chat peeked over the ledge as he started to understand her words, spying her leaning against her now closed balcony door.

No longer was she in the dress she had worn during the ball, but instead in what he assumed to be pajamas. Had she been getting ready for bed?

Chat watched as she slid down against the door until she was blocked from his view by the balcony, his cat ears flattening as he lost sight of her. Something must be bothering her.

Against his better judgment of knowing he shouldn't make it seem as though he's watching her, he stood and vaulted over the wall and onto her balcony like he's done many nights before.

Tiana glanced up at him as his boots touched the railing, surprising him as she herself didn't look surprised by his arrival on the balcony. Had she seen him already? " _Bonsoir_ , Chat Noir." Tiana greeted him first this time, still staying seated up against the balcony doors.

Being closer now, it was easier to see something was definitely troubling her. Dropping down off the railing, he took a seat beside her before finally speaking. " _Bonsoir, ma belle._ " Chat replied to her own greeting, taking note of the way she was staring out at the sky above them instead of at him. "Something's troubling you on this wonderful night?" Chat asked after a moment of silence.

"No, just admiring the beauty of what few stars we can see from here." Tiana replied, Chat resisting the urge to snort at the obvious line to try to convince him she wasn't in fact bothered by something.

"I see beauty without having to look up at the sky, mon cher." Chat complimented her without really thinking and immediately felt the skin beneath his mask flare with heat, Tiana looking towards him now at last.

It gave him a chance to see the troubled look in her eyes which held such happiness last he saw her, and he completely forgot about why he was embarrassed as he wanted to help her.

"I assume you enjoyed the play then, Chat Noir?" Tiana asked with a small smile that didn't at all look forced.

"It was _magnifique_ , I can promise that I'll be at all the future performances." Chat answered her honestly with a smile, but only noticed her troubled gaze lift slightly at the praise. "Please, tell me what's bothering you. Tonight should be a night of happiness, not..." Chat cut short when Tiana stood up and opened her balcony door.

For a moment he thought she wasn't wanting to talk anymore, before she stood in the open door in waiting for him to join her.

Once inside, she closed and locked the door like she usually does. "Wouldn't want to be seen by the press on my balcony, would you?" Tiana teased lightly as she walked over to her couch, Chat following her and noticing the various vases filled to the brim with flowers of all kinds all over the room.

She had this many admirers after the performance?

A sour taste almost settled on his tongue again, before he noticed the black and green roses in a white vase by her bedside. Instead, his chest swelled with pride at knowing she kept his own so close.

"So many flowers. You must have a lot of handsome admirers after such a wonderful performance tonight." Chat mused as he finally followed her the rest of the way to the couch and took a seat.

"All but one." Chat feigned hurt by holding a hand over his chest when she smirked his way, glad she was at least able to tease him.

"I'm glad to see that you kept them." Chat said after Tiana giggled at him for a minute. "I knew you'd have a lot, anyone would be crazy not to admire how amazing you were." Chat complimented, smiling a little wider when he noticed the bashful blush on Tiana's cheeks.

Maybe now she'd be more likely to tell him what's bothering her.

"If that's the case, then thanks for calling my mother crazy." Tiana muttered after a minute of silence, Chat frowning immediately at her words. How could her mother not have liked the performance? All of Paris was in an uproar at it, it was spectacular.

"How could she not like it?" Chat asked, scooting closer as he noticed the way she shrunk into herself on the couch. He didn't want to see her this way, he wanted to see her happy like she deserves to be.

"Because she's mad because I changed a scene on the fly and she thinks I ruined the most important part of her play." Changed a scene? He didn't notice anything that looked out of sorts.

" _Mon cher_ , I watched the whole performance. Nothing looked out of place nor did the show at all diminish in quality. I don't understand how she can possibly be unsatisfied with the way tonight went." Chat admitted with a shake of his head at how her mother could be so shallow about one scene. His own father even agreed that the performance was well done, how could the playwright be unhappy?

"That's my mother for you." Tiana said simply with a nod of her own head, voice quieter than usual. "Never satisfied with anything I do." Tiana's words were quiet as she pulled her legs up to her chest, staring at the ground with a somber look now in her blue eyes.

Chat could nearly feel a growl in his chest over how a mother could make their child feel this way. He restrained himself though, her mother isn't important right now.

"Forget about her." Chat said after controlling his annoyance with the playwright. "What she thinks doesn't matter right now, Tiana. It's how you feel tonight went. How you feel you and everyone else did in the performance. The rest of Paris thought you were spectacular, trust me." Chat pointed out with a soft smile.

Tiana looked up at him with a thoughtful look now before giving him a soft smile. "Thanks, Knight in Kitty Armour." Tiana thanked him, that combining with her smile settling a warmth in his chest at knowing he helped even a little.

"You don't have to thank me, _chérie_. All I ask is you don't let her get to you, don't let her effect your happiness." Chat said as Tiana looked away from him again, following her gaze towards the vase on her nightstand. "You looked beautiful at the gala, by the way." Chat admitted before really realizing what he was doing. Tiana looked back at him in surprise and he knew he looked no better than she with the warmth overtaking his own face.

"Thanks. I thought you were only at the performance." Tiana said, and for a second he worried that she might put two and two together on his identity. But there were hundreds of people at that event, she can't possibly connect the dots that easy.

"No, I came along to the ball." Chat said as she looked away from him again. "You looked happy dancing with all your friends. Especially the one dressed like your Grandfather." That comment earned him a snort of laughter, smiling at her when her eyes flickered to him once more.

"He really did look like him." Tiana agreed before giggling some more, Chat just smiling at how he was able to make her forget, even for a moment, the pain her mother put her through.

"It's a shame I didn't get to dance with you. I could have really swept you off your feet, _chérie_." Chat mused with a lazy smile, Tiana's giggling ending as she looked him over upon his words.

"I'll believe that when I see it, flirty cat." Tiana replied, Chat chuckling at her challenge more so than her referring to him as a flirt.

"Is that a request, Tiana?" Chat asked, leaning closer to her with a bigger smile than before.

Tiana just smirked at him for a moment in a way that made him feel like that devious smile was familiar from somewhere else. "You're kitten yourself if you think you can sweep me away, Chat Noir." His smile only grew at her pun, leaning closer as he faintly noticed the warmth bubbling in his chest.

"You know..." Chat drawled as he flickered his eyes down to her pajamas for a moment. "I'm actually quiet a good dancer. I could show you if we had a little music." Chat offered, Tiana still smiling up at him as she chuckled a little at his words.

"Wouldn't it have been better to ask me earlier this evening when you were watching me?" Though he knew she was just teasing he couldn't hold back the blush that he knew was rising to his cheeks.

"And risk you recognizing my handsome face without this mask?" Chat asked as he pointed to his mask. He really hoped Plagg was right in that no one recognized him with that other mask he wore to the gala. "Come on, let me have one dance and then I'll let you sleep off this long day." Chat bargained instead of giving her a chance to think about the possibility that he actually did dance with her tonight at the ball.

With a thoughtful look now overtaking the smile she had held for him a moment prior, he stood up from the couch and bowed to her. Holding out a hand with a soft smile, he hoped she'd take him up on his offer.

Even though they already danced at the gala, he couldn't resist the chance as Chat Noir as well.

* * *

Tiana stared at the gloved hand outstretched towards her. Part of her was screaming to turn him down, that part also being Verro jabbing her in the back with his paws. But another part was also telling her to take him up on his offer.

She couldn't though, shouldn't. This is Chat Noir. Even though he sent her roses and has obviously been keeping a watchful eye on her, much to her chagrin, she shouldn't get as close to him as he's requesting.

It's already bad enough what she did last night.

He's a hero, and she's a rogue. Even though they aren't technically on bad terms when both in costume, it's far too risky for him to figure out that she's the one liberating items from for instance the Louvre.

But she found it hard to ignore the happiness bubbling inside her at seeing his hand held towards her invitingly. Unlike the rest of her friends, he was actually here and trying to distract her from the fact that her mother still was unhappy.

Before she even realized what she was doing, she had taken his hand in her own and he pulled her up off the couch. "Well, now all we need is music unless you want to awkwardly dance to silence." Tiana laughed openly at his comment before pulling away to go grab her phone from her bed.

Verro's paws continued jabbing her in the back since he couldn't speak, but she did her best to ignore him. There wasn't much they could do now, was there?

She's just glad she's not transformed and having to listen to him shouting at her in her head.

Picking up her phone, she looked over her shoulder when she felt like something was behind her. Meeting his bright, happy green gaze he was looking over her shoulder at her phone.

"If you don't mind me holding your phone, _ma douce_ , I could pick a song for us." Chat offered, Tiana shivering for half a second upon feeling his warm breath ghost over the skin of her neck.

Before she even had a chance to answer him, his clawed fingers stole the device away from her hand. Tiana turned to face him to protest, but noticed the way his eyes lit up upon looking at her phone.

"I don't know whether to be impressed by all the music on your phone or to focus on this little heart icon labeled lover boy." Chat spoke after a minute of silently going through her phone. Without another teasing smirk she snatched her phone right back. " _Ma chér_ , is there something your not telling me?" Chat asked teasingly, Tiana rolling her eyes at the elated look that mingled with his teasing.

"That's my friend. I'm sure he's probably labeled me in his phone as Kitten what with how many times he calls me it." Tiana replied to his teasing before walking over to her speaker and plugging her phone into it. "You know, I could deny you a dance now for being nosy with my phone." Tiana said after turning to face him again as he walked over to her.

"I wasn't being nosy. It was right there on the screen." Chat replied before he was right back in front of her. "I'm sorry, I won't be nosy again. May I have a dance, my dear?" Chat asked, still smiling but the teasing was gone now.

Sighing through her nose, she stepped to the side to allow him to look at the playlist on her phone once more. She nearly shivered again when his clawed fingers grazed her waist as he stepped beside her, his other hand swiping through the music on her phone.

After a minute, he stepped back so she assumed he was finished. "Just hit play, Kitten." Chat said with a wink and for a moment the way he spoke seemed familiar. But just as quick she forgot about it when he nodded towards her phone.

Tiana barely pressed play on the speaker before Chat took her hands in both of his, pulling her away from the speaker and into the middle of her room.

(*)

The music started not a second later and she was a little confused for a minute as she expected him to pick something a bit slower since that was a majority of the gala, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't pleasantly surprised.

Chat held both of her hands in his own up near his shoulders as they swayed with the music for a moment, grinning like a kitten that's just been given a bowl of milk. She knew she probably looked no different, laughing openly as he spun her in place.

"I really should comment about the lyrics of this song." Tiana teased as Chat chuckled deeply in front of her, flashing his brilliantly white teeth at her.

"Then I would comment about this being in your most played recently list." Chat purred back, Tiana rolling her eyes playfully at him as she took a step closer, swaying easily to the music.

"I don't see much sweeping me off my feet yet, _Chaton_." Tiana teased instead and nearly kicked herself for using that nickname that she'd only mock him with as Rogue, but he didn't seem bothered by it this time.

"Well since you asked so nicely." Tiana gave an uncharacteristic squeak when he spun her again, this time coming to a stop facing away from him. He let go of one of her hands in place of wrapping an arm around her stomach and holding her waist in his hand, her other still in his grasp up near his shoulder.

Just as her face started to bloom with warmth, she was spun in place once more to face him. A Cheshire grin spread over those devious pink lips of his now as he looked down at her.

Tiana huffed before taking her hand from his own and placing it on the back of his neck. Two could play at this game, kitty cat.

Tiana took a step back and felt his fingers flex against her waist where his hand still resided before she danced her way around him. Her hand never left his neck but she was aware of the way his eyes followed her, smiling right back at him the same way he did to her.

"Okay, okay." Chat bobbed his head when she danced her way back in front of him and twirled, swaying to the music and shooting him a wink the way he did to her. She couldn't help but smile a little wider at the way his glowing green eyes brightened at her. "Can we at least agree I'm a better dance partner than your Beast?" Chat asked and Tiana laughed again.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Chat Noir." Tiana teased instead of agreeing to his words, laughing louder when he took a step closer and began to dance her around the room with him.

"I'm not jealous, my dear. How could I be when I get this dance?" Chat asked as both her hands came to rest on his shoulders now, his own on her waist. "I'm sure you're enjoying this more than your dances with him anyway. You can't stop smiling." Tiana didn't break his gaze as his fingers ghosted over her cheek, claws barely grazing the edge of her lips when she noticed the shine in his eyes dim a little.

Tiana wanted to know what bothered him, but chose to let it pass for the moment. Smiling a little softer, she leaned forward and lead her head on his shoulder. It was surprising that he tensed up for a moment and even faltered in his step, but just as fast he recovered and relaxed.

Tiana chuckled a little at how even the flirt of Paris could be caught off guard and even shy at times. Then again, he's made it pretty clear to her as Rogue that he's only ever cared about Ladybug so many flirt of Paris doesn't suit him.

The music coming to an end, she felt her own mood soften a little upon remembering the lady that had the guy dancing with her so entranced.

"Can I ask you something before I forget?" Chat spoke up after what felt like a long stretch of silence between them as they danced. The music ended not a second later so she stepped back.

Chat's hands stayed on her waist and she looked down at them. Not even seconds later did he pull his hands away quickly, looking up to see him holding one to the back of his neck with a small smile.

"What's the question, Knight in Kitty Armour?" Tiana asked, about to turn away and go take her phone from the speaker so it wouldn't just continue playing music when he stepped away and towards the speakers himself.

"Do you regret having to give your first kiss to your co-star?" Chat asked and that one confused her for a moment. That was an out of nowhere question...

"I'm glad it looked believable to the audience, but what part of the play do you think I edited?" Tiana asked, smiling innocently when Chat looked down at her in confusion. "He and I had a talk during intermission. He understood I really didn't want to do it so that's why we put his back to the audience and me behind him. We made it look like I was kissing him when in reality we didn't actually kiss." Tiana explained, still a bit proud of herself for what they concocted in the little amount of time they had for intermission.

At least she knows it definitely looked believable to the audience, even though it didn't fool her mother.

Chat just stared at her for what felt like the longest time before scoffing and laughing, turning away from her and to the speakers that were now playing another song. "You certainly are something, my dear." Chat said through his chuckling as he walked over to her phone and began swiping at the screen again.

"Is that something good?" Tiana asked, walking over to him with a grin as he glanced back at her.

"Of course." Chat replied as he lazily swiped at the screen.

"At least I know I'm good enough to make you jealously worry about me." Tiana teased, Chat turning to her fully within seconds as she grinned cheekily at him before dashing away from him and towards the couch.

"Not jealous." Chat repeated his mantra to her again as he leaped onto her couch right after her, Tiana squealing as he suddenly was above her with that same devil smile. His claws danced across her ribs and she struggled to get away from his torture.

Why do they always go for the tickle torture?!

Chat continued assaulting her ribs until she got enough strength to shove him off, earning a grunt as she opened her eyes to see him sprawled on the floor beside the couch. "Ow." Chat muttered simply from his face down position on the floor.

"Sorry, but what did you think would happen?" Tiana asked, still gasping for breath as she rolled onto her side and Chat rolled onto his own to face her.

"Not to be thrown onto the floor, for one." Chat quipped back, and Tiana would have laughed if her lungs weren't still protesting the laughing from the tickle torment.

"Come here." Tiana reached down and offered him a hand to get back up.

Instead of standing though, he scooted his way up onto the couch with her, stretching out beside her in what little room remained. He winced for a second once he was on the couch beside her, and she finally found her guilt again.

"Sorry, I can go get you an ice pack." Tiana offered but he just shook his head before laying it back on the arm rest.

They were silent for a minute, Chat's eyes closed as she watched the way his chest rose and fell rhythmically with each breath. He looked so relaxed even after having just taken a tumble. How could he be so relaxed when she doesn't even know how to feel about how close they were laying on the couch right now?

Tiana looked away from him for a moment before back to see one eye open and watching her curiously, a smile slowly crawling onto his pink lips as he stretched a little beside her before folding his arms behind his head now. "I'm alright, don't feel so guilty. It takes a lot more than that to hurt me." Chat reminded her cockily, and the guilt was immediately gone at his cockiness.

There was so much she wanted to say back, but instead she noticed how over the music she could hear a faint vibrating sound. Curious, she scooted closer to the cat and immediately had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

"Well from your purring I assume it didn't bother you much. Happy aren't you, Kitty?" Tiana asked teasingly which earned her his eyes snapping open to look at her before the purring immediately cut short.

Snickering at his reaction, she expected him to reply. Instead, a series of beeps from his back drew his attention away as he sat up and grabbed his staff from his back.

Tiana couldn't help the eye roll as she rolled onto her back as the man beside her looked at the screen on his staff. It really shouldn't surprise her anymore when Ladybug comes calling.

But it didn't keep the annoyance away at knowing she was doing this now when they were having a lovely time.

"I'm sorry, _chérie_." Chat said after closing the communicator on his staff.

"Duty calls." Tiana said simply, shrugging her shoulders at him when he looked down at her. "Gotta make sure the city is safe." Tiana reminded him, but it felt more so like she was reminding herself. How could she possibly forget even for a little while that he was a hero and his job wasn't to dance around her room with her but to protect Paris?

" _Ma belle_..." Tiana sat up as well to go unlock the balcony doors for him. But before she could even stand up from the couch his hand caught her own. Looking back at the hero, he looked conflicted for a moment before sighing. " _Je suis désolé_ , it's been wonderful seeing you again and finally getting to have a dance with you." Chat said with a small half smile that she could see didn't quiet reach his eyes.

Letting go of her hand, he stood from the couch and stretched for a moment. Why should she be surprised at all that he would jump at his lady's orders? This is the girl he's head over heels for even if he's trying to get over her.

Still didn't help the uncomfortable ache in her chest though at knowing he was choosing to do as Ladybug asked instead of keep her company when none of her friends even cared enough to try to understand what turmoil her mother puts her through.

Tiana stood up as well and stepped past him to go unlock the balcony doors. She could practically feel his gaze burning a hole in her back as she did so.

"Please don't be upset with me, ma douce. It's my job to protect not just you but everyone else in Paris." Chat said as he walked up behind her while she unlocked the door.

"I'm not upset. I'm fine, Knight in Kitty Armour." Tiana argued as she turned to him after unlocking the door. He however didn't look convinced. "It's been a long day, I'm just tired. Once you leave I'm probably going to sleep." Tiana assured him as he folded his arms over his chest.

Chat just stared at her for a moment before stepping up to the now open door. "Try to remember to stay happy. Don't let anyone take that away from you." Chat said as she leaned against the door, barely meeting his gaze when he took a step closer. "You looked beautiful during the play and the gala, but you look even more so when you smile, _mio caro_." Her face burned at his words as he smiled sweetly down at her.

She couldn't find words to respond to him, but her pulse raced faster when he leaned down closer to her face. For a second their gaze remained locked as he smiled sweetly at her before closing the gap. Her eyes closed quickly before feeling his lips softly press against the space between her eyes.

Her eyes fluttered back open once he pulled away to see a light pink dusting his face, that same smile still cast upon her. "I'll see you soon, Tiana." Chat said simply before disappearing out the door and off her balcony.

Tiana just stood there for what felt like forever, unable to think straight as she tried to quell her racing heart. This cat will be the death of her.

"Are you going to just keep standing there daydreaming about that cat or are you going to close the door?" Tiana looked to her side to see a none too pleased wolf Kwami glaring her way before raising an eyebrow at him.

"You know what, I have a better idea." Tiana said with a smirk now aimed his way.

Not more than half an hour later she was on the Eiffel Tower with Verro occasionally snarling at her mentally as she fiddled with the speaker attached to her belt, music playing through it softly.

Granted, she would probably feel the consequences of her late night tomorrow. But that was a problem for tomorrow. Right now, she just wanted to continue enjoying what ended up being a good night.

Once all set, Rogue gave a glance around the city to make sure Ladybug wasn't around and waiting to grab her before letting the music win over.

It's so much better than dancing all stuffy like most of the guests at the gala.

In the middle of the night with no wandering eyes, she could just dance the way she wanted to. Not the way she was told to by others or led to by others. She could listen to her kind of music and just be free.

If only for a little while.

Rogue barely got three songs in when she heard something land on the balcony, spinning around to see the man she saw barely an hour ago now leaning against the railing. A sly smile was on his lips as he stared at her.

"You've got some moves, Wolfie." Chat commented before flashing her a bright smile.

Even though she could feel her pulse speed up a little she reminded herself that she wasn't technically the same girl he saw a little while ago. "I sure do. Likely better ones than you do, Kitty." Rogue replied with a grin before turning the volume up on the speaker.

"Is that a challenge?" Chat asked, stepping away from the railing and heading her way now.

Rogue just sent him a shrug before continuing to dance to the song.

(*)

Up until her hand was seized and she was spun nearly halfway across the balcony by the cat. Once she came to a stop he slid right up beside her and spun in place with a cheeky grin.

Really now? Alright, round two of who's better. But this time she gets to use her skills as Rogue without worry that he'll put two and two together.

Rogue twirled around him with a laugh before skipping away from him, her tail swishing behind her as Chat pranced his way beside her, stealing her paw into his claw and twirling her.

Rogue laughed again and he joined her as she swayed easily to the music, Chat pulling her along into a skip as she let go around him for once. Just letting the music control her instead of think that she was dancing with a hero.

Once her hand was freed she spun away from him before trotting away again, looking back at him over her shoulder with a grin before he followed after her.

This time they danced longer than she did with him as a civilian, and she was genuinely amazed by how easy it was. How easy it was to forget and just live in the moment and have fun.

"So?" Chat asked after the song had ended and a new began.

Rogue smiled his way with a tilt of her head to the side. "I still say my moves are better." Rogue replied, Chat scoffing dramatically before she started into the next song. He joined her not seconds later with a loud laugh. If only they could stay like this, just enjoy their fun and forget the world around them.

* * *

 **I'm baaaccckkk! About a month later, yet again. But it's better than never. Anyways, I really wish we were allowed to link songs into chapters on here. Sadly, we are not. So if you felt like looking up the songs or even went over to the QuoteV version for convenience of it being right there, thank you!**

 **Gonna point out really quick, if you watched the second video all the way through, the way the two were dancing at the end is sorta how I visualized Rogue and Chat dancing at the end of the chapter. I'm not really satisfied with how the end went there though, but I ran out of room so I hope it was good enough.**

 **Anyways, look at this. Not only is Adrien aware that things are changing, but Tiana is too. Just not towards him as Adrien but him as Chat. At least he's a little happier that she didn't kiss her co-star. Jealous Kitty.**

 **I'm sorry that there's been so much time between chapters. It's been a little hard to get inspiration what with my fluctuating schedule and the fact that it seems the views on this story are beginning to decline now. I'm still working on it though, I promise I'm not giving up. Please, feel free to let me know how you're feeling this story is going so far.**

 **I'm going to go start on the next chapter, so I will see you next time!**


	42. Beach Day

Adrien kept his eyes on Nino beside him. He feels like he's been punched multiple times, but it's better than looking at the scene from down the beach.

Yesterday, as far as he was aware it was their friend group coming to the party today. Then Tiana arrived not only with Nathaniel, but her Prince friend Martinus too.

Whom she was currently laying her head on his lap where they were sitting under an umbrella. Looking as sleep deprived as he felt. He would ask her why, but he couldn't exactly when it wasn't himself that she told she was going to bed last night when he left.

No, that was Chat Noir who was lucky enough to spend that amazing time with.

Adrien was pulled away from his thoughts and whatever Nino was saying to Alya when Mari sat down beside him, grinning happily in a way that became contagious as soon he was doing the same. "Guys, why aren't any of you dressed to swim? We're at the beach!" Marinette reminded, Adrien looking to the other two to see a smirk on Alyas face towards Nino.

"I have my swimsuit. But Nino keeps making up excuses not to go get changed." Alya said and jabbed a thumb towards his best friend.

"I am not!" Nino proceeded to argue and Adrien chuckled as he knew where this was going.

"Are you swimming?" Adrien looked back to the girl beside him at her question.

"Yeah, I just have to change." Adrien said with a smile. Maybe the cool water would help and make him feel less like a zombie.

"Well, I'm going to go change since Mr. Afraid to swim here wont." Alya said before jumping up and grabbing one of her bags.

Adrien snorted, looking to Marinette beside him as he silently counted to see how long before Nino chased after Alya. He barely hit eight when Nino jumped up and took off after her.

Marinette laughed with him once the two were gone.

"I'm going to go change too." Marinette said once their laughter subsided. "Probably somewhere away from those two though." Adrien snorted again out of habit, smiling at Marinette's cheeky comment as she stood up.

"Probably a wise decision." Adrien agreed before standing up himself to go grab his bag. Looking around, nearly everyone else was already changed. Minus from the looks of it Tiana who was talking to Nathaniel while still laying on Martinus.

Yeah now was a good time to go change.

By the time he came back he no longer spied Tiana laying with Martinus. Glancing around, he didn't see her anywhere actually. Alya and Nino were changed and putting on more sun block though.

"This totally was worth the drive out here." Alya commented as he walked over to them and set his bag back down. "The water looks amazing today." Alya mused as Adrien looked out at their friends who were already in the water. Mylène was floating around in an inner tube with Ivan not too far. Kim was from the looks of it trying to out swim Alix.

"I'm sure it will feel amazing too once we're in it." Adrien looked away from the water to Marinette as she walked over to them. He nearly felt his jaw drop too since he can't remember the last time he saw her in a swim suit.

"It better, since it was a two hour drive out here." Nino's comment was followed with a grunt that upon looking back at his friend, he realized Alya had smacked him for the comment.

"Stop being so negative. We're all here, let's all have a good time." Alya chastised him while waving the bottle of sun block threateningly towards him until Nino nodded in agreement.

Yeah, he's really happy that Marinette isn't like that towards him. Or Tiana for that matter.

"Then let's have some fun." Before he even realized it he was being led towards the water by Marinette and soon Alya joined in while dragging Nino.

The cool water felt amazing from the moment it touched his skin. Not so much when he was suddenly splashed with it in the face by Nino and Alya.

Which promptly turned into a water fight.

Adrien sighed through his nose as he watched his friends play in the water. It just felt nice having something cool against his skin after sitting under the sun for so long.

Mari looked so happy just for everyone to be here, tossing a volley ball towards Alix and Alya.

Why does it feel like he's missing something in watching their group though?

Something brushed against him beneath the water and drew his thoughts away, before nearly shouting when he was knocked over in the water. It took him a moment to recollect himself before resurfacing.

To see that familiar teasing smile that he realized was what he was missing.

"You're about as easy to scare as Marinette." Tiana teased as she floated on her back in the water beside him with a lazy smirk.

"You attacked me from underwater, how was I to know you weren't something more dangerous?" Adrien asked as he brushed a few soaked strands of hair out of his eyes.

"I didn't attack you." Tiana countered as he stared for a moment. Taking in her attire in guilty awe as he's never once seen her look so... "The more you space out and day dream, the more surprises await you whenever you think you're alone." Adrien was snapped from his thoughts and staring by water splashing him in the chest with her words.

"Is that a promise?" Adrien asked instead, giving her his own sly smirk as she swam around him.

She chuckled at him before diving back underwater. He won't let her get away so easily though.

He grabbed quickly for her and caught her by the stomach before she could get too far, heaving her up out of the water and into his arms with a smirk.

"Since when are you so strong, Lover Boy?" Tiana asked a little breathlessly and he worried if he might have startled her for a moment and made her lose her breath beneath the water.

But the little smirk did away with that worry before he promptly tossed her a few feet away into the water with a laugh.

Which while it was worth it, started another water war this time between every one of their friends instead of just a few of them.

Adrien held up a hand to shield his eyes as Alya and Mari splashed at him furiously, ducking out of the way and swimming off to try to get a drop on them.

Nino fortunately had his back and lunged at his girlfriend, leaving Marinette without her best friend and all the other girls attacking the other guys.

Just as he was about to advance on Marinette he felt something brush his leg again. Without hesitation, he dove and grabbed for her only to barely brush his fingertips across her fleeing form.

"You're about as bad as a shark." Adrien protested once he surfaced again and spied Tiana catching her breath beside Marinette.

"Well I can be quiet the force to be reckoned with when I want to be." Tiana quipped back with a toothy smile, and he had to fight for a moment to hold off a very Chat like comment.

If it's sneaky she wants to be, he can be sneaky. After all, he has to sneak around as Chat at times when dealing with Akumas.

Diving beneath the water again, he swam off towards the two. The muffled sounds of splashing water letting him know that the other guys were still fighting back. When did it get to guys versus girls anyways?

Once he was closer, he came up for a breath briefly to see Mari and Tiana fending off against Nathaniel and Martinus. With a grin he dove back under and advanced.

He wasn't too sure who was who underwater but grabbed the first girl he brushed against, earning a startled squeal before he broke the surface with her in his arms.

Marinette squeaked and squirmed for a second as he grinned down at her before tossing her into the waves a few feet away. Laughing, he only started laughing harder when she resurfaced with a look that told him she would no doubt retaliate against him.

"Is that the best you got?" Before he could turn around a body crashed into his own and he was knocked beneath the water once more. Struggling against who he had no doubt was his Kitten...

Wait...his?

Since when has he thought of her as his? He- she's his friend!

After a brief struggle with her he resurfaced to spot her trying to escape. He went to go after her but instead with a great splash, Martinus burst from the water and heaved her up with one arm.

"Might be able to get away from them, but not me!" Martinus yelled as Tiana struggled against him and laughed loud enough to match his own shout.

Even with trying to restrain it, he couldn't help the sour sting in his chest at knowing her attention to him was lost for her best friend.

With a roll of his eyes, he turned his back to the scene to go back to Mari who was trying to fend off Nathaniel.

He and Nathaniel had just started getting the advantage over Mari when something flew into his back, knocking him over in the water once again. Vaguely he thought he heard someone shout an apology as he was under the water for a moment before resurfacing.

His fingertips brushed something beneath the water as he caught his breath before snatching her quickly, hauling her above water with a victorious ha when she saw him.

Victorious that is, until Mari lunged at him from his other side and he was stuck between two girls fighting against him and wondering where the other guys were when he needed them.

After another half hour of this everything started to calm down again and he found himself alone sitting in the shallows while he watched his friends play catch with a volleyball further out.

His shoulder ached a little from whatever hit him during the water war, so he didn't feel up to tossing around a volleyball right now.

Rubbing the soreness with his free hand, he looked to his side when someone joined him and smiled. Her fingertips pressed against his shoulder soothingly and he sighed through his nose. "I'm sorry if we were too rough before." Marinette apologized as she massaged the sore muscle for him. "Martinus should really watch his strength." Marinette said with a nod in the direction of the guy, who was tossing the ball back towards Alya with a wide grin.

"It's fine, I just wasn't expecting for someone to suddenly slam into me. It's not anyone's fault, beside we had fun." Adrien reminded her instead of focusing on the negative of his sore shoulder.

While Marinette smiled at him in response to his words, her eyes showed him that she wasn't convinced on his words by how solemn they were.

"Hey." Adrien shifted to face her more fully and reached a hand back to press over her own. "It's fine, Mari. Really. This isn't much and it'll be gone before long. Don't feel bad, just keep having fun." Adrien said and couldn't help but smile a little bigger at the shy blush that kissed her cheeks as she smiled back at him.

Together they sat in the shallows and watched their friends for a while, Marinette's fingers still kneading his shoulder the whole time as they talked and laughed at the scene further out in the water.

The one on one time with her felt nice. It felt long overdue. He could genuinely feel the tension in his shoulder melt away thanks to her help. He felt so genuinely relaxed in the cool waters with her that he wasn't even sure when they scooted up closer to each other, but he wouldn't deny that he was comfortable when Mari leaned into his side.

For a moment guilt threatened his relaxation as he remembered how his eyes had been wandering to Tiana for the last few days when he was supposed to be giving Marinette a shot. His heart fluttered for a moment at remembering last night when he danced with her, both at the gala and in the privacy of her room as Chat Noir.

His guilt ebbed away though as his gaze wandered to the girl in question who was leaping onto her best friends back. Ever since the Prince showed up, he's just felt...

Ugh, he's not sure how he feels anymore.

Mari pulled him out of his darkness by pulling away from him and standing up. "I'm going to go put more sunblock on. I'll be back." Marinette assured him before he got to his feet as well to go help her.

By the time when he finished helping Mari reapply to her back, and he mentally chastised himself numerous times for staring, their friends were heading up towards them again. "You two look happy." Alya cooed as she skipped up and took the sunblock bottle from where he had just put it back down on the towel.

"Why weren't you playing, dude?" Nino asked as he dug in one of the coolers and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Marinette and I were enjoying watching more. That and my shoulder was sore." Adrien revealed and rolled said shoulder, sending Mari a smile at how it was no longer thanks to her attention. "Thank you, it's much better now." Adrien said as Mari smiled right back at him.

Adrien noticed the odd look Alya cast their way for a moment before she went back to putting on the sunblock. "So should we start planning double dates here soon then?" Nino commented in a fashion that definitely showed he was around his girlfriend way too much.

"N-Nino!" Marinette squeaked shyly at his words and he just chuckled at how she could still be shy about this when last night was technically a date. Albeit a short one that was shared with many other people.

As Marinette glared at Nino and Alya openly laughed at the scene, he found his gaze wandering again towards the girl that kept occasionally plaguing his thoughts since yesterday.

Where she stood nearby talking with Nathaniel as Martinus reapplied more sunblock to her back.

With a drawn out sigh through his nose, he turned away when Tiana turned to Martinus and winked at him. Why now does he have to be so confused about how to feel about her?

* * *

It was nearing sunset by the time anyone even considered the idea of starting to leave the beach. It's been such a long but fun day that some of them even considered finding someplace nearby to stay for the night instead of taking the two hour drive home.

Tiana had already gotten the okay from her father to stay at the beach house for the night, fortunately. So she wouldn't have to make the drive tonight. Martinus was already there, claiming about an hour previous that he needed to find a place to shower after she ceremoniously dumped sea weed on his head and down his swim trunks for unnecessarily tossing her at Adrien earlier.

Who was currently not talking to her of his own will and only when he needed to from the looks of it.

Which hurt a little, as she knew him. He wasn't the kind of guy to be petty, so why was he being like this now and ignoring her and instead giving his undivided attention to Marinette?

Tiana closed the trunk of the car Grandfather had loaned her for the day and briefly caught his gaze before he looked away and back to loading Marinette's bags into his own vehicle. A sigh left her lips before she turned away and surprisingly was not surprised by Alya suddenly being beside her.

"So where are you going tonight then? Because obviously it must not be far since Tinus just walked off instead of driving." Alya mused as she leaned against the side of the black sports car.

Nino came up to lean beside her on the car with a curious look.

Can't hide anything from Alya, obviously.

"I'm staying the night here in Deauville. Martinus walked back to my family's beach house which isn't far." Tiana admitted since if Alya didn't get it from her, she would likely just call Martinus. Who quiet literally had no filter and would just tell her himself.

Nino huffed as Alya threw her arms out around her. "Why didn't you tell us? We could all stay the night here, go get dinner and just leave tomorrow." And there's the inviting herself along antics again.

"What's going on?" Marinette asked as she walked over to them from Adrien's car.

"Tiana and Tinus are staying the night here in her family's beach house." Nino revealed to Mari now as Tiana tried to hold off the urge to roll her eyes. Why not just tell the entire group while you're at it?

"It's a two hour drive home, neither Tinus or I feel up to making the drive tonight when we can just sleep and leave early in the morning." Tiana pointed out as most of them were tired by now.

"It's probably a smarter idea to stay if you don't feel up to the drive." Adrien jumped into the conversation now too. So now he's willingly talking to her, huh?

"Wait, is one of those big fancy beach houses down the beach yours?" Alya asked before she could even reply to Adrien, tugging on her and leaning on her shoulder.

Tiana could feel her mood dropping gradually as her temper rose slowly as everyone just spoke over one another and didn't even give her a chance to speak. Finally, her phone started ringing from the front seat so she pulled out of Alyas grip with much struggling and walked up to the open door to grab it.

Martinus' lovely mug flashed on her screen to let her know it was him before she even hit answer. "Where are you, _nzuri_? I've been waiting for you for an hour." Martinus chimed through the speaker.

"I'll be there soon, just finished packing the car that you could have stayed to help me with." Tiana replied which earned a deep chuckle from the other end.

"I would have loved to had I not been the victim of seaweed." Tinus quipped back before Alya was at her side once more.

"Come on, it will be fun. Our group hasn't had a sleep over yet, it's the perfect way to start the summer!" Alya cheered and Nino cheered right with her as Tinus gave a confused noise from the speaker of her phone.

"Alya you shouldn't invite yourself if she obviously doesn't want us to go." Adrien chastised from the other side of her car where he stood with Marinette.

"Just because you don't want to go, doesn't mean we don't." Alya challenged him and at that Tiana huffed and quickly bid Tinus goodbye in Swahili.

"Fine, if you all want to go so badly just follow my car back. Those who don't want to go we'll see you tomorrow." Tiana said simply before closing her car door without another word and starting the car.

Now to say she was surprised when she pulled up to the beach house and both cars followed would be an understatement. In all honesty, she wouldn't be surprised if he was just dropping off Marinette and Nathaniel and then left to go home himself.

Martinus threw open the doors and came out still clad in nothing but his swim trunks when she got out of the car. "What happened to taking a shower?" Tiana asked as he opened the trunk and started pulling out their bags.

"I did something more productive first, pumpkin." A groan left her mouth as he chuckled beside her. He knew she hated those dreadful nicknames.

"I knew it was one of the places we saw down the beach!" Alya said as she got out of Nino's car with a wide grin.

Tinus cast her a confused look to the extra guests before shrugging and carrying in a majority of the luggage in one swoop. _Show off..._

"Just follow blonde instead, he'll show you the rooms." Tiana offered her friends before grabbing the last two things out of her trunk that Tinus missed.

As she closed the trunk, a hand brushed her own and took one of the suitcases from her hand. She was surprised to see Adrien take it for her, considering his avoidance of her.

"Thanks." Tiana said instead of asking why like she wanted to. Why he was helping her. Why he hasn't been talking to her for the better part of five hours when they've never been more than a hundred feet apart.

"When this is all inside, mind if we talk in private?" Adrien asked, briefly meeting her gaze before looking behind her at the door.

Biting her tongue to hold back the sting in her chest over how he had treated her, she nodded before heading inside with the one suitcase, handing it off to Tinus when he met her and Adrien in the kitchen and took the one from Adrien.

What is going on that he's suddenly asking her to talk? Usually he just talks if he wants to.

Then again, usually he doesn't make her feel like some kicked puppy either.

Tiana followed Martinus up to her room even though he now had both pieces of luggage. "So, Alya and Nino are sharing a bedroom. Just as a heads up for tonight." Tinus revealed and Tiana rolled her eyes at the news.

"Doesn't surprise me." Tiana admitted as he dropped the suitcase on the love seat before turning to face her with a small smile.

"Want to talk about what has you in such a somber mood? You're supposed to be smiling, Princess." Tiana shrunk away from his touch when he grazed her cheek with his fingertips.

"Hard to smile when one of your closest friends has an issue right now that's preventing him from talking to you." Tiana remarked as she walked past him to grab clothes from her suitcase to change.

"That's what this is about? Your Lover Boy?" Tiana glared at him over her suitcase for a moment as he followed after her. "I'm a little disappointed in you, I thought you could read people." Tinus teased her as her glare turned to confusion at his words.

"What are you talking about?" Tiana asked as she pulled out a pair of shorts from her suitcase.

"You know he's keeping his distance when I'm around you, that's pretty obvious. Green eyes definitely suit him though, since he's got the green eyed monster on his back." Tinus mused as he leaned on the back of the love seat with a chuckle.

Tiana rolled her eyes at him for the comment. "Why do you assume things? What would he have to be jealous of?" Tiana asked as she zipped the suitcase back up.

"Us?" Tinus asked as he gestured between the both of them. "Before I got back, it was you and him right? Ever think he feels a little left out now because he sees how close you and I are?" Tiana just stared at him for a moment as his words sunk in.

She didn't want to believe that he was right and that Adrien was actually jealous, but as the seconds passed and his words repeated in her mind she couldn't help but realize that maybe he was right. Adrien was jealous of her and Tinus?

She'd definitely have to point out that there was nothing to be jealous of. Even if he's her best friend, he's quiet the handful once you get to know him better.

But just because Martinus is around doesn't mean she doesn't want him around too.

"So...you two can talk later. Right now, I got dinner started before you got back. Hence why I'm still in these." Tinus gestured to his swim trunks and lack of shirt.

"Please tell me you at least washed your hands before doing so." Tiana said as she put her clothes down to go see what he possibly created in the kitchen.

"Of course, this isn't Africa anymore sweetheart. I'm not an animal."

"Anymore."

Tiana grinned at him as he laughed mockingly at her comment before they headed out the door to go back to the kitchen.

Getting back to the kitchen found three of the five other guests now waiting. Nino was inquisitively looking around with Nathaniel while Alya was looking at the still active oven.

"Were you two planning on a romantic dinner?" Alya asked teasingly as Tinus came around the island to her and checked whatever was cooking on the stove.

"Maybe!" Tinus chimed as Tiana sighed at his willingness to fuel the fires.

Soon everyone was downstairs again and Tinus revealed the massive dinner he had been preparing before they all arrived.

Even with how she felt earlier when Alya and Nino were prying into coming to the beach house, now she was very much happy that they all did. She couldn't see a better evening after a day at the beach than spending it with her friends eating surprisingly amazing food.

Even when dinner was done and Tinus jumped up to go make dessert with Marinette jumping to join him, she felt completely happy and at ease.

Until she remembered that there was still one very important thing to do tonight when her calf brushed his beneath the table.

Adrien looked over to her with a curious gaze from his position leaned back in his chair before smiling at her, Tiana feeling the pain from earlier melt away slightly since he could at least smile her way.

While Tinus and Mari fretted away making dessert, Tiana quietly excused herself after giving Adrien a pointed look. Making her way to the back deck, she faintly heard him excuse himself as well.

She was barely alone on the deck for a minute before the door opened and closed, Adrien sitting beside her on the couch. "I'm so-" Tiana shushed him before he could even finish his apology. He sent her a confused look as she pulled her legs up beneath her on the couch.

"You have no reason to be jealous of me or Tinus, you know." Tiana revealed, getting right to the point as his expression went from confused to surprised. Well, for once Tinus was right.

Adrien sighed before looking away as he leaned back into the couch. "It was that obvious, huh?" Adrien asked as she watched the way his body oozed with discomfort and anxiety. But the one that got her most was the one she was used to seeing in herself, the loneliness.

"I'm sorry that you felt left out." Tiana apologized instead since this was truly her own fault, not his. "That was never how I wanted you to feel. Tinus and I have known each other since we were young kids. We're used to having only each other, so sometimes we forget that there are in fact other people around us. Sadly enough, it was him who realized why you weren't talking with me today first." Tiana admitted with a shrug as she looked out at the moon casting its glow over the dark waves.

"It's stupid. I was being stupid and jealous, Tiana." Adrien said as she looked to him again. "I should have known that it doesn't matter and that you'll still be my friend. I just..." Adrien looked down at his hands with another sigh.

"Felt like you were losing against Tinus?" Tiana asked which earned a half shrug from the guy beside her. "If we're being honest, it hurt a little that you were shrugging me off in favor of your _petite amie_. So we both weren't really thinking today." Tiana said before looking back at the ocean again.

"I'm sorry." Tiana couldn't cut him short this time as he apologized earnestly. "I just... felt like I was being left, again, and I wasn't thinking straight." Again? "By the way, not my girlfriend." Adrien corrected her, and she couldn't help herself and ended up laughing.

"Sure about that? Cause the way you two looked snuggled up in the shallows would beg to differ." Tiana pointed out, laughing a little harder upon spying the pink dusting his face. "We've established before we're both not going anywhere so can we just...try to remember this for the future so this doesn't happen again?" Tiana asked and Adrien stared at her for a moment as a smile appeared on his lips.

"Of course. After all, what would I do without your constant teasing each day?" Adrien asked and she chuckled softly before scooting over into his side and wrapping her arms around him, head resting on his shoulder.

"You'd be bored each day." Tiana replied, giggling when Adrien snorted at her words. His one arm wrapped around her while his other pressed against her arm that was around his stomach. She would be lying if she said she wasn't very comfortable in this position with him.

"Don't lie, you know you'd miss me each and every day too." Adrien mused as she giggled against him, feeling his side rumble with his own laughter.

"So have you two made up yet, cause desserts ready." Tiana looked to the door at Alya who just had to intrude on this moment.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be inside in a minute." Adrien waved her away while pulling her closer to his side. Tiana snorted against his shirt as Alya closed the door, faintly feeling something warm press against her temple before she pulled free to go inside. Better to go now before Tinus comes to drag them inside.

Adrien squeezed her arm gently and gave her a warm smile before they stood up and went inside to their now equally happy friends.

* * *

 **Look! I finished this one less than a week after posting the last one! I'm starting to recover my schedule, slowly. Thanks by the way to those of you who have stuck around even with this irregular update schedule that's going on right now!**

 **Aww, a nice little chapter with decent amounts of fluff. I wonder how Adrien felt about that talk at the end though, considering his current confusion about Tiana and how to feel. It looks like he and Mari are getting on well though, at least!**

 **I don't have much more to say this chapter as I'm wanting to both work on the next chapter as well as watch the other episodes from the other half of season 2. So happy I don't have to wait until December since that's when they come out on Netflix.**

 **Thanks as always for reading, I will see you all next chapter!**


	43. What Do You Want?

"Ow...ow okay do I need to repeat again...OW!"

"Oh stop."

"It's sharp, Kitten. Come on." Adrien rolled his eyes as Tiana snickered in front of him.

Mental note, do not allow Tiana to try to help fix any of his clothes EVER again.

Why didn't he ask Marinette?

"Stop being such a baby, I'm not getting you that much." Tiana said as she continued working on the rip, and continued jabbing him in the bicep as well.

"You've stabbed me about six times now." Adrien flatly pointed out as he watched her nimble fingers work with the needle and thread.

"Because you keep moving." Tiana said and he couldn't hold back the small smile at how focused she looked as she worked. The way her eyes never left her work and the way she nibbled gently on her lower lip. "If you hadn't ripped it in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation." Tiana said and cast her blue eyes upon his own with a smirk.

"You hip checked me." Adrien reminded as well since she wanted to play this game.

He could only imagine how Father would feel if he saw the tear, but fortunately he wasn't at this performance. He usually only came to Friday or weekend performances. Though he knew about how he hasn't missed a single show yet.

"I could just let you go home like this you know." Tiana remarked as he felt the cold needle graze his skin again and flinched out of habit.

"But you haven't." Adrien purred instead, earning a roll of her eyes as she continued working.

This had happened after he met her backstage after the show. He had managed to grab a rose from a stand outside before coming in, and he met her at her dressing room with it. Followed her about backstage as she got changed back and everything.

Jokingly, she had mused about how he should have given the rose to Marinette before hip checking him. Right into a costume rack that ended up having some surprisingly sharp enough costumes to rip a hole in the arm of his shirt.

She felt bad at first, which is why she offered to fix it for him. Obviously that guilt faded quick.

"If you really don't want me to do it you can ask Marinette. She should be here soon." Tiana said as she shifted against his knee, reminding him of how close she was right then.

It took everything in him just to resist the urge to pull her closer. Ever since that night at her beach house, he's found himself like a moth to a flame.

So incredibly hard to stay away from this teasing but always sweet flame. Even when technically he was seeing Marinette.

Granted, they weren't official or anything. They were still in talks, but he really struggled against the pull that Tiana somehow had on him.

Which while it was enjoyable he still wasn't sure how to feel about. He knew he was attracted to her in the least, but he wasn't sure if that attraction was superficial or not. He would have hoped in the month since the beach house he would have figured it out.

At the same time, while part of him wondered if it was really so bad to start having feelings for this girl that was easily his best girl friend, another part of his mind reminded him he didn't want to go through what he had with Ladybug again.

He doesn't want that pain again.

Doesn't help he's not fully over Ladybug yet either.

His love life is really just one big mess right now.

Adrien stayed quiet now as Tiana worked on stitching the hole back closed. Fortunately she didn't stab him anymore, surprisingly quiet as well as she worked. This must be how she is when working on her music.

"Gonna need you to take off your shirt to finish, Lover Boy. That way I don't stab you. Unless you want it." Tiana teased as she held the needle tightly in her fingers.

Adrien rolled his eyes at her before instead rolling his sleeve up carefully. Once the spot was exposed he noticed her eyes soften a little. "What?" Adrien asked as she went back to work.

Tiana didn't respond to him for a second as she finished the stitch, tying off the stitch as he worried about what sobered her up. Before he could roll his sleeve back down, he watched her fingers ghost over the spots she jabbed him various times in.

Before he could assure her he was in fact fine, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against the still tender skin. His heart felt like it couldn't take much more as she pressed gentle kisses against the spots she got him in before pulling away and rolling his sleeve down for him. "Sorry." Tiana said as she started putting away the sewing kit she had used.

"It's fine, really. Takes more than that to hurt me." Adrien assured her as he stood up to follow her as she cleaned up.

"The yelping sounded realistic." Tiana said as he leaned against the cabinet that she was putting the kit away in.

"Kitten, honest, I'm perfectly fine." Adrien said and patted his arm in the spot for emphasis. "You have too much of a conscience." Adrien teased when she looked unconvinced, wrapping an arm around her side and pulling her into him. "Thank you for fixing my shirt for me, I'm fine. Now let's go find Mari and we can go grab dinner." Adrien offered as he started to lead her towards the door.

"You both should go for a nice dinner together, not pull me along." Tiana mused as they walked out of the room. Barely anyone was still there now this late after the show had ended.

"You don't want to come?" Adrien asked with a curious tilt of his head towards her direction.

"I didn't say that." Tiana corrected him as they made their way towards the front entrance. "I wouldn't want to intrude on what could instead be a nice date for the both of you. You are after all "still talking"." Tiana punctuated her words with air quotes as he smiled a little at her thoughtful mannerisms.

"Come with us, Kitten. Mari and I have a date planned for tomorrow, tonight can be the three of us." Adrien said as Marinette herself finally came into view, standing near the main door. It didn't surprise him much either to see Nathaniel with her. "Make that four." Adrien corrected himself.

Tiana sighed but otherwise didn't argue with him.

"Oh don't lie, you know you love every second we're together." Adrien teased, smirking at her when she turned to him with a scoff.

"What took you two so long?" Marinette asked as they stopped in front of her and Nathaniel.

"Adrien had a wardrobe malfunction. If he tears his shirt again, you get to sew it back up this time. Lover Boy can't handle the needles." And her guilt is already gone, once again.

Marinette giggled softly before he stepped up beside her, offering his hand so they could all go and get dinner finally.

* * *

Rogue snickered as she tiptoed her way through the art gallery. Wait, what's the point in tip toeing when the heroes are busy with an Akuma? They won't notice.

With a growl she dashed ahead and ignored alarms when she tripped them. They wouldn't notice until after she had already handed the painting off to the client.

Snatching the painting in question from where it hung on the wall, she broke the frame from around it and carefully rolled it up to make transport easier. "Hey!" Well, the heroes are busy. The civilians, not so much.

" _Au revoir_." Rogue chirped before flipping over the angry employee and dashing for the door. Once outside, she shot off onto the rooftops as the man shouted angrily behind her.

Why hasn't she tried this before? She should pull her jobs every time an Akuma appears. That way she doesn't have to worry about Ladybug and Kitty Cat giving chase.

Rogue soared through the air towards her escape sewer hatch when she noticed she no longer spied the angry crying woman Akuma anywhere. Odd, they must be finishing up. Best to finish up quick.

"Wolf!" Of course, only Ladybug has to cleanse the Akumas.

Rogue narrowly avoided Chat's staff when it shot towards her, laughing triumphantly before dropping down to the street to get away on foot. The debris left over from the fight should help her hide.

"I'm not letting you get away with that painting, wolfie!" Chat shouted from behind her as she ran on all fours through the streets, snickering at his determination.

"I already have, kitty cat. You should be focusing on helping your Lady, not on stopping me." Rogue called back before looking up and spying a rush of ladybugs in the air.

Wha...

Suddenly she was enveloped in the insects, being sent spiraling through the streets before they finally left her alone. Splayed on the now debris free streets and feeling lighter for a moment.

Wait, lighter?

Rogue scrambled to her feet and checked her back, scrambling around for a moment as she realized the liberated art piece was no longer strapped to her back like it had been.

Laughter broke her from her search, looking behind her to spy Chat Noir standing with his arms folded over his chest and openly laughing. "You didn't think you'd actually get to keep it, did you? Ladybug always fixes everything that's out of place after our battles." Chat reminded through his laughter, wiping hysterical tears from his face.

Rogue growled at the happy cat as her tail flicked angrily behind her. Now she knew why she shouldn't pull jobs while there's Akumas around. Little Red just resets the board with her ability.

"Why did you bother chasing me down if you knew this would happen?" Rogue questioned as the cat continued laughing at her blunder.

"Eh, seeing your surprise and annoyance at realizing you wouldn't get your prize count as a reason? Cause it's really satisfying." Chat mused as he perched his claws on his hips now and started in her direction.

Nah nah nah, not tonight.

Rogue howled briefly as she shot back into the air and soared off away from the teasing cat, no longer in the mood for him tonight.

When they're alone and there's no Akumas around, things are fine. But she wouldn't be the one to break the ruse that they were anything but enemies.

Dropping back into the sewer to make her way back to the den for the night, she barely flicked on the night vision on her goggles when she was greeted by the kitty having beat her there. "Oh don't be a sore loser now." Chat purred as he leaned against the sewer wall with a prideful smirk that she thinks would better suit her prideful lion ex-partner.

"You're following me now, kitty cat?" Rogue asked, holding her ground instead of heading in the direction of her hatch. It's bad enough he almost found her den once, she won't give him reason to believe there was more there than met the eye.

"What can I say." Chat shrugged as he stepped away from the wall and headed her way. "I thought I'd give you a walk home, I am a gentleman." Chat said as he perched his hands on his hips yet again.

"You're not finding where I hide, Chat Noir." Rogue said flatly instead of encouraging his actions and desires to find the wolf den.

"Aw come on." Rogue rolled her eyes at his playful antics and turned to go back up the manhole she came down. She would have to find a different way to get home tonight if he was snooping like this. "Rogue..." Chat drew her name out as he followed after her.

As her claws tapped against the metal rungs of the ladder, she suddenly found herself pressed against the brick wall of the sewer with a smirking kitty in front of her.

"Come on, don't be this way." Chat drawled as he smirked down at her. "Spend a little time with me, it's been less and less recently." Chat reminded her as though she didn't know herself. That was intentional, well on her part. She had a job that needed doing and she wouldn't be able to perform it with him on her tail.

That, and there's also the fact that it's been a little bit since he's visited her as her civilian self. Part of her worried if he'd grown bored of her already in favor of another girl, but she tried to keep that anxious thought at bay.

"Shouldn't you be going to see your little civilian, kitty cat?" Rogue asked before she could control her mouth malfunction.

Chat tilted his head as he looked down at her with a curious glint in his eyes, his lip twitching up at the corner. "She's busy, I would if I could. Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice, my lovely wolf?" Rogue rolled her eyes at the flirt in front of her.

"Negative to that. Can you get off of me already?" Rogue asked as she motioned to his hands that were against the wall on either side of her shoulders, caging her in.

"I know you have work you need doing, but at least humor me a little with a smile." Chat said instead of letting her go like she asked.

With a sigh, she sent him a smile.

"Now was that so hard?" Chat asked as his smirk melted down to a small, but warm, smile. "Just for a warning, might want to stay down here. My lady will probably be looking for you before she transforms back." Chat warned as he stepped away from her. With a glance down at his ring on his hand, she noticed he didn't seem to have much time left himself.

"You do know I'm not giving up on that painting, right?" Rogue asked and he chuckled deeply in front of her.

"I'd expect nothing less from you, Rogue. Expect me to be there to stop you. Then maybe later on we can go dancing by the Seine this time." Chat offered and pulled a few dance moves for emphasis to his offer.

"Don't know about that." Rogue said as he just continued smiling at her. He certainly was in a chipper mood tonight.

"Can't blame me for trying." Chat said with a shrug before looking down at his ring himself to see how much time he had left. "We should meet soon. Sadly, I don't have much time tonight. But it would be nice...you know." Chat said with a small smile tickling his rose pink lips as he folded his hands behind his back.

"Careful, Chat Noir. Or I might start assuming you prefer my company to your ladies." Rogue teased as she stepped past him and cast him a wink.

"Maybe I'll answer that assumption of yours if you meet me soon." Chat replied with a wink of his own as she shook her head at his persistence.

"Work, pretty kitty. That comes before fun."

"I'm a pretty kitty, huh? I always thought handsome suits me better." Chat proceeded to flex and she started walking away. "Hey, wait!" Rogue waved back to him as she walked down the tunnel.

" _Bonne nuit_ , Chat Noir." Rogue replied instead of fueling his pride.

Footsteps behind her let her know he wasn't giving up and she sighed through her nose as he was once more at her side. "Please, Wolf, meet me soon. It's easier talking to you than my lady about...certain topics." Chat said as he scratched his neck, his pride fading away to unusual shyness.

Ugh, the clients going to be annoyed by how long this job will take.

"Alright, kitty. It'll talk to you soon, but right now you should get going before you transform." Rogue said, pointing down at the ring on his finger for emphasis. She really wanted to ask him about why he hasn't been visiting her civilian self as much, but she couldn't without risk.

"Thank you." Chat thanked her with a smile. "Thanks, wolfie. I'll see you soon." Rogue nodded to the cat before he darted off back to the manhole she came down, leaving her alone at last to return to the wolf den.

* * *

It was two more days before Tiana saw Chat, this time in her civilian form instead of trying to get away from him as Rogue so she could transform back.

She was a little surprised too, since he was waiting right there on her balcony when she walked into her room. Almost like a stray cat waiting around for a treat. Usually he shows up after she's been back in her room for a little bit.

The first thing she noticed after letting him in was the way his ears were flattened to his hair. "I'm sorry I haven't seen you much recently, my dear. My schedule's just been all over the place." Chat admitted after a curt greeting.

That, or he's in fact getting over the idea of visiting her in her cage when he can visit another girl with more freedom.

"It's fine, Chat Noir. What brings you tonight?" Tiana asked, reluctant to join him when he leaned against the arm rest of her couch and nodded towards it in an attempt to get her to join him.

"I just wanted to see you, _bellissima_. To catch up with you." Chat said after a moment of waiting silently for her to walk over to the couch. "Are you upset I haven't come to see you?" Chat asked, stepping away from the couch.

"No, of course not. I won't blame you for not wanting to visit me in my cage." Tiana said, stepping around him when he stopped in front of her and taking a seat on the couch.

"Ki- Tiana, I don't mind visiting you in your room. It may feel like a cage to you, but to me it's where we get to spend time together." Tiana scooted over when he joined her on the couch, propping one leg up on the other.

"You honestly can tell me you're not getting bored of it yet?" Tiana asked, Chat chuckling beside her as he scooted closer to her.

"If I get to see you, I'm not bored. Boredom doesn't exist when you're around." Chat said with a warm smile that made her face blossom with heat, turning away when he chuckled deeply beside her.

"Flirty kitty." Tiana muttered which only made the superhero beside her chuckle more.

"If you want me to be a flirt, all you have to do is ask or initiate it yourself." Chat said and winked at her, before proceeding to lean down and rest his head on her legs while kicking his boots up on the other end of the couch.

Tiana was more surprised by her lack of a blush than she was by his sudden bold act. Instead, she stared down at the guy who was using her legs as a pillow, his eyes closed behind his mask as one hand rested on his slowly raising and falling chest. The other stretched out above his head.

He looked so peaceful and comfortable that she didn't want to push him away or tell him to move. Instead, her fingertips itched with the desire to touch. What, she wasn't sure.

When she carded her fingers through his wild hair, one of his eyes lazily opened to look up at her. It slid back closed when she dragged her fingers through his messy hair.

A small giggle left her when a minute later she felt his body vibrating against her leg, not having to listen too hard to hear the tell tale purr of the happy kitty in front of her.

It's like she's petting a real life cat, instead of a man dressed like one.

After a few minutes of silently stroking her fingers through his hair, one of her hands moved down to his face and gently traced the outline of his mask. His eyes immediately snapped open, and for a moment she worried she did something wrong.

Before noticing the way his eyes seemed to swim with what could only be described as an emotional battle as she slowly pulled her hand away from his face. Her hand didn't get far before it was enveloped in his own, surprised for a moment as she swore she could feel his warmth through the leather.

"How can you treat me with so much warmth when I've obviously upset you?" Chat asked quietly, still holding her hand in his before pressing it against his shoulder.

"Because I can see in your eyes that you didn't mean to." Tiana replied without hesitation, kneading her free fingers against his scalp.

"I'm such a fool." Chat muttered under his breath, eyes rolling shut again as he let go of her hand.

"No you're not, Chat." Tiana assured him, waiting for him to open his eyes and look up at her but he did not. Whatever was going on inside his mind, it made her chest twinge painfully at knowing she couldn't help. Or that he didn't want her to help.

Silence overtook them for a few minutes as she continued stroking his hair, her free hand where he left it on his shoulder. Where as before he looked peaceful with this comfort, now he looked conflicted in the way his eyes flickered fitfully beneath his lids.

Her free hand slid down his shoulder until it came to a rest against his chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart within his chest. Not a second later was her hand once more caught in his own, holding it tight to his heart.

"I promised Ladybug I wouldn't endanger you." Chat suddenly spoke up without opening his eyes. Ladybug? Was that why he's seen her less recently? "She knows I've been coming here to see you, and she wants me to be careful because if Hawk Moth thinks you could be a way to get to us, he won't hesitate to come after you." Chat admitted openly as she silently stared at his still closed eyes.

Almost like he was afraid to open them. Was he afraid of her reaction to what he was telling her?

Did he actually think she was afraid of some butterfly? Granted, he doesn't know who she really is, but really?

"That's part of why I haven't seen you much recently. I didn't want to be the reason something bad happens to you, Tiana." Chat continued when she didn't respond to him.

Tiana wanted to say so much right then. To say she isn't afraid of Hawk Moth, that she doesn't care about Ladybug's orders. To ask what he wants to do or if he really wants to back away.

But each word died on her tongue before she even had the chance to open her mouth. Instead, all she could do was think about how much this was obviously eating him alive if the way his body language was right now meant anything.

His hand that was holding hers against his chest squeezed hers, like he was testing if she was still there or listening to him.

"What...do you want to do?" Tiana asked after another minute of silence and finally finding her voice again.

"I don't want you getting caught in the middle of this." Chat answered, eyes still closed. Was he really so afraid to see her reaction? "But I don't want to stop spending time with you either. I came here tonight trying to convince myself it would be better for you, but that conviction died pretty quickly." Chat continued as she brushed her fingers against his cat ears while working his hair, noticing the way they twitched in reaction.

"Did you plan on telling me that Ladybug wanted you to back away, or was this not part of that plan?" Tiana asked and that finally got him to open his eyes and look up at her.

"I planned to tell you." Chat replied with a somber tilt to his lips. "Not like this," Chat gestured with his free hand to the position they were in. "But I knew I had to tell you. It wouldn't be fair not to." Chat said as he squeezed her hand in his own again. His eyes remained locked on her own this time instead of closing.

Tiana wanted to ask again if he really felt he wanted to walk away, but beeping from his lower back drew both of their attention. Well, she knows he didn't listen...

Chat rolled his hip to the side and pulled the metal staff from his back before laying back again, opening it and gazing at the screen. "Well, she knows." Chat muttered before snapping the screen back shut.

"Do you really want to walk away, kitty?" Tiana asked, earning his attention again as he let his staff rest against their still joined hands on his chest.

"No." Chat answered with a small pout of his lips. "I feel comfortable with you, like I'm actually listened to when half the time it feels like Ladybug only hears the bits and pieces she wants to hear. She's getting better, but it's still the point that I genuinely enjoy spending time with you. Most other girls just see me as Chat Noir, handsome hero of Paris. You treat me like a normal guy, which is what I really need at times." Chat rambled before taking a deep breath and shifting his gaze towards her balcony doors.

Tiana couldn't help the smile that rose from his words. If he genuinely didn't want to stop, then she doubted Ladybug would be able to hold him back from coming to see her. Especially with the way he describes their encounters.

Now she couldn't see how she ever wondered if he was getting bored of her from the way he said he feels when here.

Pulling her hand away from his hair earned his emerald gaze on her once more. "What happened to that promise of a night out in Paris?" Tiana asked, smiling softly when he looked up at her in confusion for a moment. Before his signature grin finally returned.

"Well, pick a day. I promise, I can make it a night you won't soon forget." Chat offered with a cheeky wink as she giggled at him. More happy to see his usual happy side returning instead of the gloom that had settled from before.

"I'll believe that when I see it." Tiana replied through her giggling, Chat chuckling before sitting up and dragging the hand still in his own with him.

"You don't want me to walk away." It was a statement instead of a question. Like he still was letting her unspoken words sink in.

"No." Tiana replied with the same pout he had given her before, and he laughed before switching their positions now. In mere seconds she was the one now laying with her head on his lap and looking up at him.

Chat had the biggest grin as he looked down at her, and her chest ached comfortably with the warm fluttering of wings as he looked finally at peace once more.

"Silly kitty." Tiana mused with a soft giggle, which in turn earned a laugh from him.

His staff beeped again from beside them on the couch. Tiana watched him look at it for a moment before plucking it up and quickly opening and closing it without looking at what was on the screen. "I'll talk to her later." Chat said before tossing said object onto the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Better hope it wasn't important." Tiana teased as Chat propped his legs back up on the couch again and carded the claws of his free hand through her hair this time. After messing his hair up again after she spent so long on it.

"It wasn't. Tonight's a quiet night. Plenty of time to just kick back and relax." Chat assured as she felt her body relaxing in response to the rhythmic drag of his fingers through his hair. No wonder he barely opened his eyes to her, her own started feeling heavy too with how relaxing this was.

"Sure you don't have somewhere else to be?" Tiana asked as her eyes finally fluttered shut from his tactics.

"Nah, I want to catch up. Tell me, how have you been? Aside from busy with your play that I've still seen each time." Tiana couldn't even find the strength to blush at the news due to how relaxing the pull of his claws against her scalp was.

"You really can't stay away, huh kitty?" Tiana asked teasingly instead of answering right away how summer has been so far.

"I could, I just don't want to." Chat said as she once again felt the way the couch vibrated beneath them and heard his happy kitty purring.

"Careful, or your Lady might start assuming things about us." Tiana continued to tease him, lazily opening one eye to look up at him.

"Let her." Chat said with a grin. "Maybe we could give her reason." Chat purred with an impish grin.

"Flirty cat." Both of them ended up in fits of laughter, forgetting about Ladybug's warning.

* * *

 **Somewhat getting back on schedule now. No guarantee it'll stay back on schedule permanently, my inspiration only lasts for so long at times. But at least I was able to write this and the next chapter already!**

 **There's quiet a few things that happened in this chapter alone, but I'll start first with that last little tidbit at the end here. Chat openly ignored Ladybug's orders to stop endangering Tiana by seeing her. Not only that, but Tiana didn't want him to walk away either. Which from the looks of it was what he was afraid of. These two sure are getting closer.**

 **Just like Adrien with Tiana, taking time to help him fix his shirt because they were messing around. Then feeling bad enough for jabbing him with the needle that she tries to soothe the ache with a kiss. I mean, no one can say that they haven't had their booboo's kissed at one point or another in their life.**

 **There can be things to be said about Rogue and Chat too, but I'll leave that open for now. Thank you all so much for reading! For those of you who leave comments, because seeing comments each chapter definitely helps inspire me to write the next. Thank you!**

 **I will see you all next chapter!**


	44. Camping Trip

"Why are we doing this again?"

Adrien snorted as he continued setting up the inside of Marinette's tent for her, listening to the complaints of his friends outside still.

"Because it's fun. Stop being such a killjoy." That one was Tiana, who arguably was one of the most excited to be doing this. Arguably because this was Alyas idea, of course, and she had wanted to do this for apparently years.

Nino was the one complaining, mainly because of all the insects attacking him. If he sprayed with bug repellent, this wouldn't be an issue though.

Finally finished setting up Mari's bed, the door unzipped and she came in with the rest of her things. "Thank you, Adrien." Marinette thanked him as soon as she saw the air mattress finally all pumped up.

"You're welcome." Adrien replied before receiving a gentle hug from the girl in question, returning it happily.

"Ooh, now I see why we should have gotten separate tents instead of one big one with separate rooms." Adrien raised an eyebrow in the direction of the teasing Italian before zipping the door shut once more. Looking to Marinette as she made the bed with the blankets she brought in, he started helping her.

"You don't need to help me with everything, Adrien. I know you still need to work on your room." Marinette reminded him as they finished setting up the sheets and blankets for her.

"I want to help, Mari." Adrien reminded her instead. This earned him a smile before he once more heard Nino complaining nearby.

"You'd think he'd be jumping for joy at the idea of spending the night in the same tent as Alya." Marinette mused, giggling softly when he hummed with agreement and gave her a wink.

After a few more minutes of helping her he finally left her room to go set up his own, snickering when he heard Alya and Nino bickering from outside the tent. They've only been here at most two hours and they're still going.

Slipping into his messy room in the tent, he barely started pumping up his air mattress when his ears instead caught wind of a different discussion outside of his room. "-should just tell me who this mystery guy is that you're cheating on me with." Nathaniel? What's he talking about?

"First, there is no mystery guy. Second, how could I cheat on you if we're not dating?" Tiana. Adrien immediately knew her first statement was false, Nathaniel was asking about who she's been seeing occasionally at nights.

Which would be himself, albeit transformed into Chat Noir.

Why were they talking about this all of a sudden?

"Come on, just tell me who the guy is that has you staying up late at night." Adrien couldn't help the prideful hum at knowing he was the exact reason why.

Why last night for instance she didn't go to bed until so late because they were watching some American show on Netflix that was surprisingly very good. Not to mention very addictive since they lost track of time watching it.

"I've been watching American shows, Nathaniel. I'm up late because it's actually really good." Tiana replied as he went back to setting up his air mattress.

"Is it that horror show you tried getting me to watch?" Adrien smiled a little at hearing he wasn't the first she tried getting to join her.

"Maaayyybe." Tiana drew her words out in her usual way of indirectly answering yes before he heard them shuffle away from him.

Once he finished setting up his things in his room he made his way out of the tent to find Alya and Marinette setting up a fire, Nino nearby dousing himself with enough bug repellent that he strongly desired to tell him to stand way back from the fire.

"I think you have enough on now, Nino." Nathaniel beat him to Nino before he could give his witty comment.

"Tiana should be back in a few with some firewood so we can make the fire a little better." Alya spoke to Marinette as she jabbed rolled up paper underneath the smoldering logs with a stick.

"Did you remember to tell her we needed extra?" Marinette asked, which earned an innocent grin from Alya before Marinette shook her head.

"I'll go help her if you both need extra." Adrien offered before either one of them had a chance to volunteer themselves.

"Adrien you really don't have-"

"Make sure it's extra dry so it catches easily."

Adrien gave a salute to Alya and a smile to Marinette before heading off to grab the firewood and maybe find his other best friend wherever she was in the woods.

Ten minutes later and a stack of wood and sticks balanced on one arm, he finally found her. "Kitten, you were supposed to be getting firewood. Not...I'm not sure what you're really doing." Adrien said as he gestured to the way her eyes were turned up towards the cloudy sky through the trees above and she was just utterly silent.

"I got the firewood. I'm just enjoying the freedom while I can." Adrien just stared at her for a moment before smiling softly. He should have known. Her first time camping, she wanted to enjoy every ounce that this sort of freedom from the city was providing.

It was his first time too, and he was certainly finding it different than home where he had all the comfort of modern living. But he too felt a lot more free out here, without the watchful gaze of Father or whomever father hired to watch him this time.

Taking in a deep breath, the clean air felt nice in his lungs. The scent of the forest around them also helped put him at ease with the freedom of camping.

Tiana finally pulled her gaze away from the trees and sky above and looked at him, more so at the bundle of firewood he held at his side. "Did they ruin the first bunch?" Tiana asked, amusement dancing in her eyes as he chuckled.

"No, I think Alyas just wanting to make a really big campfire." Adrien revealed, and at that noticed the devious glint now enter Tiana's eyes.

"Well I hope she'll be satisfied with the little you're bringing." Tiana mused with an impish smile. He shook his head at her innuendo and started to head back towards camp.

"Kitten, I'm just going to let that slide for the moment and remind you that I can play that way too for the future." Adrien called back to her when she started laughing, looking to his side when she caught up beside him with her arms full of the firewood she had collected.

"Oh please. You're too sweet to say something dirty." Tiana replied before jogging ahead of him. Too sweet, huh?

Once they got back to camp with the firewood, Alya started adding it to the fire with a devious grin that made him worry for all of their safety. Before long, once the fire was ready and Adrien noticed she had seemingly forgotten about what she said to him out in the woods, Adrien made his way over to his best friends who were sitting together talking.

"Hey Kitten." Adrien leaned down over the chair she was sitting in by the fire with Nino while they talked. "I got a question for you." Adrien said when she looked up at him.

Nino sent him a curious look as though he knew he was up to no good. "What?" Tiana asked as she leaned back into her chair.

"How's about spending some of your nine lives with me, hmm?" Adrien asked with a smile, fighting his hardest to keep his cheeky smile hidden behind the warm one.

Nino snorted from his seat and almost spit out his drink. Tiana just blinked up at him like it took her a second to register what he had just said.

Until her hand came up and shoved his face away from her, Adrien unable to hold back his laughter this time. "You only proved my point. Too sweet, but with a definite hint of cheese." Tiana replied as he ducked out of range of her hand and started walking away to go grab a drink.

"Mine was more obvious than yours though, Kitten. Thanks for playing though." Adrien called back to her before going into the tent.

An hour later, they were all sitting around the fire after eating dinner. Mari was beside him roasting a marshmallow over the fire while he nursed on the bottle in his hand. She didn't want any, even though they were all old enough now, but he didn't mind one or two.

Alya and Nino were snuggled up on the other side of the fire, Nino occasionally swatting at bugs that would come near them.

Then to his and Mari's right sat Nathaniel with Tiana doing the same as Marinette and roasting a marshmallow on the fire.

It just felt so right to be here with all of his friends. He couldn't see any other way to go camping. It was so relaxing out here to go with the fun of being all together.

Adrien shifted a little when Marinette moved back into their shared chair, giving her plenty of room as she smiled at him and offered him one of the treats. With a silent shake of his head, she instead set the extra aside.

A snort drew him away from the bottle he was raising to his lips, looking over to Tiana and Nathaniel to see Nathaniel look away from Nino and Alyas direction quickly while Tiana stared at the camp fire.

Following Nathaniel's original gaze, he spotted the couple across the fire whispering and exchanging kisses with one another. "Well, this has been fun." Tiana broke the comfortable silence before leaning back in her chair.

Looking at the two, he felt Marinette shift beside him and looked to her. He wasn't very surprised by the shy blush dusting her face as she looked away from their friends in their moment.

"I think I'm going to go get ready for bed." Nathaniel was the first to turn in for the night after a while longer of sitting around the campfire. He stepped back from the circle with a stretch of his arms above his head.

"We should probably get ready too. Early day tomorrow, right Nino?" Adrien snickered quietly as Alya pulled Nino up from his seat with a pointed look. Yeah, they're totally going to bed.

Marinette giggled quietly beside him, so obviously he wasn't the only one thinking this way.

After a quick goodnight from Nino, Alya dragged him off in the direction of the campground restrooms where Nathaniel had already disappeared.

"They forgot a flashlight." Marinette pointed out once they were gone into the darkness.

"Pretty sure they'll find their way back. I doubt they'll get very far." Tiana commented before he noticed that she wasn't sitting anymore either and was shoving her and Nathaniel's chairs off towards the tents.

"Are you going to bed too?" Adrien asked as she finished moving the objects.

"I never set my room up. I need to go start that." Tiana said with a shrug as he finally started to notice the fact that her mood seemed soured from earlier. What's bothering her?

It was fifteen minutes more before Marinette too decided to turn in for the night, leaving him alone to put out the fire. Once he was finished and realized Mari was still not back yet from the restroom, he made his way into the tent to check on his Kitten.

It still felt wrong to call her his Kitten when they're not together. When he's still talking with Marinette about the possibility of them getting together instead. Not to mention all the closeness and hugging all the time.

But he couldn't just let Tiana sulk on what's supposed to be a good weekend.

Ignoring the quiet giggling he heard as he passed Nino and Alyas section, he stopped at Tiana's door to find silence. Unzipping it, he found her laying in a mess of blankets and an air mattress that wasn't yet inflated. She hardly glanced up at him from her phone that she had in her hands.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to inflate the air mattress, Kitten." Adrien reminded her as he crawled in and zipped the door behind him.

Tiana just hummed in response instead of challenging his light teasing. He frowned before scooting up beside her in the mess of blankets.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong, Lover Boy."

Adrien just stared her down in response until she looked away from him and back at her phone. It took not more than a minute more before she huffed and dropped it beside her. "Tell me, I'll help you set up while you do." Adrien offered as he reached over to grab the pump for the air mattress.

"It's stupid." Tiana replied, moving to the side as he moved the blankets out of the way to roll out the air mattress.

"It's not. Does it have something to do with one of us?" Adrien asked as he hooked the pump up and started the arduous task of pumping it up. He wished one of them had thought to bring extension cords so they could have used an electric pump.

"Well I feel like a third wheel, so..." Adrien looked up from the pump at her words, confused as to how she felt this way when Nino and Alya were the only official couple in their group.

"Is this because of Nino and Alya at the campfire? Kitten, they're the only actual couple here. You're not a third wheel." Adrien reminded as he watched her shift over beside him and tentatively take the pump from him to do the task herself. He wanted to take it back, but who did the task wasn't important right now.

Tiana just hummed in response to him again and he never realized how much he didn't like her silence before. It left an uncomfortable heaviness in his chest.

"What can I do to help?" Adrien asked instead of further arguing on her not being a third wheel.

"What?" Tiana asked as she stopped working on the air mattress for a moment.

"What," He took the pump from her, "can I do," he started doing the task at hand himself again, "to help?" Adrien finished his question by checking to see how much more the air mattress had to go before it was done.

Tiana just stared at his hands as he worked, and he waited patiently for her to figure out what she wanted.

He wished he was Chat Noir right then honestly. He feels like he could do a better job of helping her feel better if he were. As Chat their boundaries together were a lot more loose than when he was Adrien.

That, and he wouldn't hesitate to hug on her and make a fool of himself more when he was his alter ego. As Adrien, he couldn't exactly just start hugging her or cuddling up to her right now with the whole talking with Marinette thing.

Well, there's the guilt in his stomach again over remembering how he acted as Chat when he was supposed to be seeing Mari.

Adrien finished up with the air mattress after another minute and started pulling the sheet over it. "You're such a sweetheart." Adrien chuckled a little at her compliment as she helped him, tossing the blankets on when they were done.

"I've been told that a lot." Adrien said with a shrug, before he was suddenly pushed back onto the bed. His face lit fire at the sudden action, not having expected her to do such, before noticing the way she was hugging him so tight.

Without further shyness or hesitation he hugged back just as tight, not letting go until she poked him in the stomach for her release. Oh but he really didn't want to let go, she was so warm and comfortable.

Not to mention his heart won't settle down either, so he doesn't want to let her see him fidget due to it.

"Thank you, for helping me with my room and trying to help me feel less like a third wheel." Tiana said after rolling away from him and onto her back on the bed. "I just...don't get me wrong it helped. But looking at the two of them just made me feel..."

"Lonely?" Adrien finished for her with a small half smile, earning a small hum of agreement. He could definitely understand that, he felt the same way for a few minutes before remembering that this trip was supposed to be about fun and relaxation. No gloom or loneliness allowed.

Though he felt she probably felt it more than him because unlike how he was snuggled up with Mari, she was sitting beside Nathaniel who in the last month it appears they haven't made much progress in the possibility of a relationship between them. In fact, he's pretty sure little bits of affection between them have looked more tame and platonic than romantic.

"Like I said earlier, it's stupid." Tiana muttered, rolling onto her side to face away from him.

"It's really not, Kitten. It's understandable, believe me. I've felt lonely for so long it's hard to remember a time when I haven't felt that." Adrien explained quietly, which in turn earned her looking back at him again. "I'm sure you're talking more about wanting someone to do what they were doing together with, but you don't have to date me to cuddle up to me. I won't judge or bite. Too much." Adrien winked at her with that last statement.

"Adrien, you and Marinette-"

"Aren't dating." Adrien reminded her before she could finish her sentence.

"Talking is the new way of saying dating, Lover Boy." Tiana said with a sassy prop of her hand on her hip as he rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh will you just let me convince you already." Adrien said before they were interrupted by a loud bark of laughter from elsewhere in the tent, which followed with the tent jolting around them.

Adrien exchanged a knowing smile with Tiana before they both burst into laughter at the antics of their friends.

"You two aren't very subtle!" Tiana pointed out to their friends as he laughed openly beside her.

"Yeah maybe you two should take that to the car." Adrien joined into her teasing through his laughter.

"Ah hush you two. Just kiss already." Nino called back and that abruptly ended his laughter as his chest bloomed with warmth to match his face. Tiana on the other hand continued laughing.

He would be lying if he said he hasn't considered it. But he really couldn't, not with the current state of his love life.

He really has started developing feelings for his best girl friend, hasn't he?

"I'm not Mari, say that to them not Adrien and I." Tiana quipped back to Nino before they all started settling down once more.

Marinette, has she gotten back yet? He should really go check on her.

"Mari are you back from the restroom yet?" Adrien asked loud enough for her to hear if she wasn't yet in the tent.

"I just got back with Nathaniel to hear all this laughter." Marinette answered him not seconds later.

"Go get your girl, Lover Boy." Tiana said beside him quietly, and upon glancing back at her beside him really didn't want to get up. She was already beneath the blankets and once more on her phone.

He really just wanted to stay with her and enjoy her comfort and companionship. Make sure she was really alright now.

"What, no kiss goodnight?" Adrien asked much too like Chat Noir, giving her a cheeky smile when she looked at him over her phone.

Tiana rolled her eyes at him playfully, and as he went to sit up to go back to his room her hand caught his forearm.

Her lips brushed his jaw tenderly and he felt like his heart had skipped a beat and all air left his lungs. This girl was just a tease. "Goodnight, Adrien." Tiana said with her lips not more than an inch from his skin, letting her breath brush against his now heated skin before she pulled away and laid back down.

Oh such a tease.

He hadn't realized his eyes had shut until he opened them to look down at her. He remembered the last time she kissed his cheek as Chat Noir, how that was much quicker than this one just now and had a lot less of an impact on him.

He really needed to sort his feelings. Figure out if he could actually fairly give Marinette a chance what with his gradually changing feelings for his best friend.

With a quiet goodnight in return he left before he could do something he really shouldn't.

The next day saw more fun as their group enjoyed the morning at the nearby lake. One thing Adrien noticed occasionally throughout the morning was how close and talkative Marinette and Nathaniel had been all morning.

Usually he'd at least get pulled into the conversations.

The other thing he noticed though was that Tiana's bout of gloom from the night before had seemingly disappeared. That, and she kept bumping into him "accidentally" at random intervals.

Which also started teasing from his other best friend.

By afternoon when they were all making their way back to camp to make lunch, he noticed the missing sixth to their group. "Hey where's Tiana?" Nathaniel asked the question before he could as he helped Nino carry their things back.

"She might have forgotten something back at the lake." Alya offered, but it didn't take him more than a second of looking at her to see a devious smirk curling her lips.

Oh great, what's going on this time?

After dropping everything back off at camp, he was about to go back to find her. When instead he spotted something flying at him and narrowly dodged it hitting him in the chest.

"You missed, Tiana!" Alya shouted suddenly, and Adrien realized at last what was going on.

The guys scrambled as Alya and Mari went to group up with the unseen girl with what they figured out were water balloons.

This lasted about half an hour before they were all too hungry for lunch to continue.

Adrien sat back in one of the chairs by the tent and watched as Alya chased after Nino in the direction of the lake. He knew better than to go swimming so soon after eating. Or is that just some old wives tale?

The chair dipped at his side as he was joined by Tiana who offered him a bottle of water. "Taking me up on my offer last night, hmm?" Adrien asked before taking a sip of his drink, motioning with his open hand to her now sharing the chair with him when usually this was Mari's thing.

"No." Tiana replied sarcastically as he chuckled before shifting and letting her scoot closer.

"I don't mind. It's better than you throwing balloons at me." Adrien mused as Tiana grinned mischievously back at him for his words.

"I thought I'd bump you out of your chair to get you to come back to the late. Nat and Mari should be back from the restroom soon." Tiana said as he glanced off in said direction just in case they were heading back now.

"I'm not the only one noticing how close they've been all day, am I?" Adrien asked her, which earned a snort from the girl at his side.

"No you are not. They're having fun though, don't be jealous." Tiana teased him before standing up from the chair. A whine left his throat before he could stop it and Tiana openly laughed at him this time. "If you want someone to cuddle up to you that bad, ask Marinette. I'm going swimming." Tiana said before he stood from the chair.

"Don't forget that I know your tickle spots. Since you're so set on teasing, Kitten." Adrien gave her a wink as she narrowed her eyes in challenge before he took off towards the lake. Letting her give chase after him should she want to fight him on that.

By night they were all tired and full after a good dinner. The sky rumbled in the distance in warning of a possible storm rolling in, so Alya didn't bother with a big fire in case they had to make a dash for the tent.

Marinette was the first to turn in this time, followed by Nathaniel.

A glance to the couple sitting to his left showed him Alya taking pictures of the fire and the flashes of light in the sky in the distance.

Nino on the other hand was continuously poking the fire with a stick, even though it wasn't much of a fire to begin with compared to the one from the night before.

A yawn to his right drew his attention to Tiana standing from her seat and stretching, a quick goodnight all she gave before she too turned in.

This time, Adrien let the couple be the ones to put the fire out as he too turned in.

Entering the tent, he noticed the quiet whispers from Mari's direction and figured that she was with Nathaniel. The other thing he noticed was the noise from Tiana's room.

Sneaking closer, he caught the sound of her cell phone and recognized what she was doing.

She hardly knew he was there before he crawled into her air mattress beside her to watch the show on her phone.

"What are you doing?" Tiana asked once he situated himself at her side.

"Watching with you. You think you're the only one who watches this?" Adrien asked, since he had just been watching this the other night with her as Chat.

Tiana rolled her eyes at him before surprising him by rolling onto her side and scooting into his own, holding the phone in front of them.

His smile couldn't be held back as he stretched his arm out around her and let her use his shoulder as a pillow while they watched.

To be honest, he didn't actually expect her to take him up on the offer of cuddling up to him. They usually didn't cuddle up like this when he visited her at nights as Chat even, usually she just draped her legs over his own and he wouldn't mind.

It was definitely the most comfortable way to finish the day off though, even if his heart wouldn't stop racing.

He has no idea when he fell asleep, but he woke up to the sound of a camera and giggling. His arm flexed and tightened around whatever was at his side before he heard the camera sound again.

Tiredly, he opened his eyes to see Alya peeking in through the doorway with her phone in her hands, Nino right behind her. "Morning, sleeping beauties." Alya greeted as he went to rub his eyes, before realizing something was on his arm.

Turning his head away from the two that woke him up, he found the cutest sight he'd yet to see. Tiana was still curled up against his side like she had been last he remembered, her face nuzzled against his bare shoulder as he looked down to see her hand that had been holding the phone splayed over his chest, phone discarded at his other side.

Good thing she's not awake to feel the bump of his heart against his chest.

His arm that had been stretched out around her must have curled around her as they were asleep, because he found his hand on her waist holding her close.

Why can't he wake up every morning like this?

"Here we were thinking you two were the odd ones out that slept alone last night. Now we have pictures as proof." Nino spoke up from the doorway, Tiana flinching against his shoulder and making the cutest huff and whine he's ever heard.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly, Adrien meeting her gaze when she looked him in the eye tiredly before Alya and Nino's childish giggling drew her gaze. "Go 'way." Tiana muttered tiredly to them, waving them off when Alya took another hasty picture.

After throwing a pillow at the couple, she tiredly turned her bright eyed gaze back on him. "Good morning." Adrien greeted quietly, patting her hand that once more rested on his chest.

"Morning, Lover Boy." Tiana replied before nuzzling her face back into his shoulder with a whine. Cutest kitten ever.

* * *

 **I had this chapter finished days ago, meant to post it Wednesday. Sorry, I got distracted and forgot to post it then. I'm struggling heavily with the next chapter right now since it seems like interest in this story is starting to wane. Which makes me worry about continuing it if not as many people are still wanting to read.**

 **I know there's still quiet a few reading, which I can never thank you all enough for doing so. I'm likely not going to give up on this story, I want to see it through and have plenty of ideas. I'm just rambling.**

 **Anyways, once again quiet a few things took place this chapter. The one that I'm most interested in though is the end there, where Adrien and Tiana watched their show together without Adrien in costume. Then ended up falling asleep together. There's also one other little thing in there with Mari and Nat, maybe we'll see how that turned out later.**

 **Alright, I'm going to go try and find my inspiration to finish this next chapter. Please, feel free to leave a comment to let me know how you're feeling about the story. It definitely helps me with writing and feel less like people are losing interest. I'll see you all next chapter!**


	45. Unexpected

Tiana tossed her suitcase on her coffee table, finally finished.

They're only going to be in her home country for a week, why did it take her three nights to finish packing?

Tapping on her balcony door reminded her of why it took her so long to finish.

Guess today's Akuma is taken care of. She would have sworn he would go home afterwards, though maybe he charged back up before making his way here.

"How are you today, my lovely? Stayed out of trouble of today's Akuma?" Chat asked once she let him in and closed the door behind him, the leather clad man hugging her against the now closed doors within seconds.

He's certainly being affectionate lately.

"I'm fine, Knight in Kitty Armour. I just finished packing for my school's trip back to my home country." Tiana revealed after hugging him back and watching him go towards the suitcases on her coffee table.

"Are you going to miss me?" Chat asked, winking her way with a cheeky smile as she playfully rolled her eyes at him and walked over to him.

"I think you'll miss me more since this is the fifth time this week you've visited." Tiana reminded him, as he has visited almost every day minus the first two days after she'd gotten back from camping with her friends.

"I'll try not to miss you too much in the week you're gone." Chat offered as she picked up one of the suitcases to move it towards her door. He grabbed the other without hesitation. "No promises though, after all who will I watch American television shows with?" Chat asked and she laughed at his now newfound love for their shows.

"What with all these Akumas, I'd be more worried about if you'd have the time." Tiana said as he set the suitcase he held down beside the door.

"It will settle soon, _ma douce_. It's like this every year before school starts back up. Some children can't let go of their summers." Chat explained as she started heading towards her bathroom to grab her last bag of small products.

"Well I for one am excited. It's my last year, then off to university hopefully." Tiana said as she watched from the corner of her eye the way the kitty hung outside the bathroom door.

"Hopefully here in Paris?" Chat asked and she giggled softly at his desire to keep her close.

"That's a secret." Tiana replied before slipping past him with the one final bag once she tossed her travel toothbrush and paste inside.

"Mmm." Chat just hummed in response as she passed to go put the bag by the door.

"I'm starting to think you're becoming attached to me, Kitty." Tiana mused as she turned back to face him, watching him as he leaned against the back of her couch.

"And you aren't to me?" Chat asked instead of negating what she had said about him.

Tiana just smiled at him instead of giving him an answer, earning a soft chuckle as he knew by now just how much she could leave him hanging on her words if she really wanted to.

The flirty banter was normal, though since she got back from camping it's been a little more frequent and obvious. She didn't mind it, honestly. It felt good to feel like she's desired, even if by a hero who she really isn't supposed to be getting this close to.

If Verro's constant reminders meant anything.

Does hiding in plain sight still count as an excuse? Or is that one just overplayed by now?

After making sure she had everything and Chat helping her with her checklist, they finally sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. She barely hit play on the next episode when he laid his head on her lap again like he did the night he told her about Ladybug's desire for him not to see her.

It's like having a pet cat instead of a friendly cat superhero.

Tiana could feel him purring against her again as they watched the show, stroking her fingers through his hair just like last time. He's got such soft hair, even considering he had just been fighting some Akumatized villain.

Maybe that villain had a part in why he was being so affectionate today.

"What was today's Akumas ability?" Tiana asked, Chat looking up at her instead of at the TV with a curious look to her question.

"Why do you ask?" Chat asked instead of just outright answering her, smiling up at her.

"Well, you're being awful cuddly tonight." Tiana said bluntly, smiling back when she noticed the pink that dusted the skin directly beneath his mask. So he can blush while still smiling?

"I'm a cat, I love cuddles." Chat responded before proceeding to roll onto his side and hug her leg.

Tiana just chuckled softly at his actions before letting it slide for now. She wanted to watch the show a little more before leaving tomorrow.

Two more episodes in she noticed how something was wrapped around her calf, looking down to see Chat at some point had woven his tail around her. Come to think of it, he's stopped purring now too.

Leaning forward to look down at his face, she noticed his eyes had closed. Was he asleep?

He did have to deal with an Akuma right before coming here. She should have thought about the possibility of him being tired.

When she went to lean down and unwrap his tail from her calf, it instead tightened almost possessively. Okay, is he really asleep or is this just some ploy?

Looking back at his face though, he seemed genuinely asleep from how at peace he looked. He looks so innocent when asleep.

Too bad that innocence melts way to the devil cat he is in waking.

Tiana just left him be at that point since he looked comfortable, but made sure to listen in the case his Miraculous starts beeping. It took one more episode before he moved, his tail tightening again on her calf as he rolled onto his back and stretched.

"Sleep well, kitty cat?" Tiana asked when his eyes opened after his joints popped a few times from his stretching.

" _Très bien_. How long was I asleep?" Chat asked while she brushed his hair away from his forehead.

"Not sure. At least an hour." Tiana said with a shrug before feeling his tail finally release her leg. "If you were bored of the show, we could have changed it." Tiana teased lightly when he sat up and leaned back beside her. His shoulder brushed hers as his tail draped over his legs.

"I'm sorry, my dear. The show is good, I was just tired from earlier." Chat said as he tussled his hair back into it's usual mess once again. Does he have any idea how long it took her to fix it with just her hands?

"You didn't need to come tonight, _minou_. If you're tired, you should be at home resting." Tiana reminded him as he leaned his head against the back of the couch and just stared her down with those piercing green eyes of his.

"Then I wouldn't have gotten to see you for longer than a week." Chat replied with a sweet smile and she felt her chest twinge in response. Such a flirty kitty.

Tiana decided not to let his comment get to her and push on his needing rest. "Chat, you've been fighting these Akumas each day for the last few days. Obviously you're tired. Don't push yourself just because you want to hang out, we can always do this when I get back." Tiana said and smiled softly when he took a serious look now finally.

"I promise, I'm fine. Little naps like that help, thank you for letting me sleep for a little bit. I promise, I won't overwork myself." Chat held a hand over his chest with the promise and she giggled softly at his antics.

Even when he's trying to be serious, he still comes off as a cute kitty cat.

"You should head on home if you're still tired, Chat." Tiana advised him, before she was suddenly hugged into his side with his tail once more wrapped around her leg.

Okay, he's both a flirty cat and a possessive cat.

"I'm fine, my sweet. I promise. That little nap rejuvenated me, just like every time I get to be this close to you." Chat purred and winked at her, Tiana playfully rolling her eyes at him as he held her back from escaping his grip by wrapping an arm around her waist.

"You can't help yourself." Tiana stated as she picked up the remote to hit play on the show again, aware of the fact he was once again purring. At least he doesn't get embarrassed anymore when he's caught in the act.

After a little while more of watching and swearing she could feel his body heat somehow through the leather suit, they finally got to the point where they wanted to switch to something else.

"Maybe it would be easier for you to focus if you weren't focusing on squeezing my leg with your tail, Kitty." Tiana teased as Chat flipped through the other options on the TV beside her, smiling innocently when he looked at her.

"How can I help it when someone as cute as you is cuddled up beside me?" Chat replied with a wink and a bop of his claw on her nose. She barely held back from biting the offending finger for touching her nose.

She could only imagine the damage if he managed to figure out she was Rogue Wolf.

"Just pick a movie, flirty kitty." Tiana said when he continued flicking down the list of options, Chat's side rumbling against her with his chuckle.

"Come now, you can't tell me you don't like it." Chat purred as finally he stopped with the seemingly endless flicking through the options. "Do you mind if I use your restroom, _chérie_? You can have the final pick." Chat handed the remote over to her as she nodded towards the bathroom door.

After letting go of her at last, he placed a kiss to the back of her hand before leaving her to herself.

A trio of beeps caught her attention as she settled on something at last, looking to the cushion beside her to see Chat had left his staff behind. It flashed a faint green at the top as it beeped again.

Tiana rolled her eyes, no doubt that it was Ladybug. Her Rogue side couldn't help herself though as she plucked the metal staff from where it laid in the cushion. Shouldn't be too complicated, after all she's used her own communicator many times back when she was still the General.

The top of the staff simply slid up to reveal a screen, which for a moment she nearly dropped it when Ladybug's face appeared on it out of habit of not wanting to be spotted by the heroine.

Before she realized this wasn't a video call. It was a recording.

"Chat, we talked about you visiting this girl Tiana already." Ladybug's bluebell gaze looked annoyed with the man she was calling. "I know you like her, I know you still want to see her. But you're making it too obvious. We can't risk her right now with how active Hawk Moth has been this week. If I could actually spot you vaulting roofs straight for her balcony, imagine how easy it would be for him to see." Had he really made it that obvious when he came here tonight?

Ladybug sighed before her gaze softened. "I'm not trying to tell you that you can't see her again. I just want you to be careful, not just for your sake but hers. I hope we can meet and talk about this in person soon when all these Akumas calm down again, just...be careful kitty." The staff slid back closed almost automatically the moment the screen went black.

A sigh behind her made her whip around to see Chat leaning against the back of the couch. "How long have you been standing there?" Tiana asked before realizing the usual happy look in his green eyes was more somber.

"Long enough." Chat admitted before walking around the couch and sitting back down beside her. He remained quiet after hitting play on the remote. It almost looked like he wasn't even watching as she looked closer at his body language.

The way he no longer was trying to cuddle her into his side. Or even wrap his tail around her leg. How instead he had his leg propped up with his arm resting on his knee and his chin propped on his arm.

How many times had he and Ladybug had a discussion about her? About his seeing her?

"I'm fine, Tiana." Chat said before she even looked back at him to ask herself. Upon looking his way, she noticed the way he was staring her down. "I see the way you keep looking at me. I appreciate you worrying about me, but I'm fine." Chat assured as he dropped his leg and leaned back into the couch.

"You don't look fine." Tiana said bluntly, watching as Chat scratched the back of his neck in silence for a moment.

"I didn't realize I had been obvious on where I was going. If Ladybug knew, I can only imagine how many others might." Chat admitted as she scooted over to him in hopes he would try to coddle her again and feel better. "I guess it's a good thing you're leaving tomorrow. Don't want you possibly in danger, _ma douce_." Chat said before she leaned into his side herself.

Chat like she had hoped immediately relaxed and his tail once more wound around her leg. It's so easy to comfort one who can't resist physical comfort.

"I think you forget at times, I live in a prison. Not much can touch me here." Tiana reminded as she waved a hand out to gesture towards her home in general. Even though Grandfather insisted this was not meant to ever feel as such, Mother refusing to allow her to leave at times made it feel as such.

The only time it doesn't feel like a prison being when Chat comes to visit, her friends do, or when she's with Grandfather. Who's been unusually busy as of late.

Chat hummed before she nearly jumped when his nose nuzzled into her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her lower back and she just giggled at his affections and how she managed to persuade him to not worry just by being beside him.

It took about a half hour of distracting him with cuddles and the movie to get him to stop worrying about her safety. By that point she also noticed his ring and how he was almost out of time.

Chat sighed over-dramatically as he looked away from his ring. "I should probably leave soon. Can't have you seeing who's beneath this mask." Chat said and tapped the black mask for emphasis.

Ironic considering this is the guy that was trying to figure out who Rogue was beneath the mask not too long ago.

Instead of pulling away like she had thought he was about to, he once more cuddled closer to her. Like she was going to be away for much longer than a week. She definitely wanted to know what had him so affectionate today, because usually he isn't this touchy.

"Are you going to miss me, kitty cat?" Tiana asked quietly, meaning for it to sound teasing but instead sounding genuine. He'd be kept busy, after all. With Ladybug and her desire to talk to him about his nightly visits for instance.

"Of course, _ma belle_." Chat answered without hesitation, pulling back from her until they were at arms length now. "Will you miss me?" Chat asked with a warm smile before taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it once again.

Trying to ignore the fluttering in her chest, she playfully rolled her eyes at him. "Of course, who else would stay up late watching American television with me?" Tiana asked which earned a hearty laugh from the man in front of her.

"I'm sure if you asked your friends they'd be willing as well. But I appreciate knowing I'm special." Chat purred before his ring finally beeped in warning for the first time since his arrival.

Chat looked down at the ring on his hand with a sigh before extracting himself from her, Tiana standing a moment after he did.

After helping him find his staff, which had been misplaced since Chat didn't take it back after Ladybug's message, she walked him to the door.

"I'll see you when you get back, _chérie_. I hope you have fun on your trip." Chat said as he once again hugged her into the closed balcony door, Tiana giggling softly against his shoulder as his claws skittered over her lower back.

"I'm sure I will, try not to let my absence get you down, kitty cat." Tiana couldn't help herself as the words left her lips, for a moment worrying that he'll recognize the way she spoke just then as a very Rogue type way.

But Chat only chuckled in front of her and hugged her tighter. When he stepped back, he pressed a kiss to her hand again. For a moment she saw something flicker in his usually happy green gaze, but it was gone before she could decipher what it truly was.

"Goodnight, Tiana. I'll see you soon." Chat said quietly before leaning forward and surprising her by kissing her on the cheek before dashing out the door.

Tiana watched him vault over the wall and over the rooftops and chuckled a little at the flirt. As she was about to close the door, something dropped from above her.

Everything in her told her to slam the door shut when Ladybug landed in front of her and turned to face her. The hero that hated her when she too stood in costume. This was definitely unexpected...

And also was likely not going to end well...

* * *

Ladybug had to wait almost an hour for Chat to leave. She was surprised he even stayed so long, he must have recharged after the battle earlier before arriving at Tiana's home.

When she first transformed again and tried to call her partner only to have to leave a message, she had every desire to storm into the room and lecture both of them.

That changed though when she looked in on the two and saw her greatest fears had been just that. They weren't doing unthinkable things or attached at the lips. They were just cuddled up on a couch watching TV.

She was still mad at him for risking not only her friends safety and his own, but how could she hold that anger when from the looks of it he looked genuinely happy? She knew it was wrong, but Chat deserved to be happy.

Especially with how things have been between the two of them.

But when she moved up to the roof to wait for him to leave, she remembered the camping trip from last week. She could hardly keep the thought at bay this whole week of the fact that one of her best friends slept beside the guy she loved when she was nearby.

She was hurt, but at the same time how could she hold anger on them when she ended up sleeping in Nathaniel's room that same night? Yes, she and Adrien weren't official. But they were working towards it.

Maybe working towards it, considering how close he is to Tiana. Which is what scares her about how close she is to Chat. Because if something is going on with her and Adrien, then Chat's going to be the one who ends up hurt in the end.

But if something is going on between her and Chat, then both of them might well be the ones getting hurt should Hawk Moth figure it out. And since he's not hesitating at all to remind them of his presence in the last week, he could vary well be watching right this instant or even already know about the two.

Though she knows it's going to cause a bit of trouble between herself and Chat, she has to be the bigger person and try to talk some sense into them. Or at the very least Chat. They're heroes, their jobs are to protect the city and it's inhabitants. Even if it's at the cost of their personal lives.

But when Chat finally left and took off over the balcony and away, she instead dropped onto the balcony instead of pursuing her partner. Chat might be unwilling, but maybe if she talked to Tiana things would work out.

She is usually the more logical and level headed of their group.

Tiana looked like she had just been ready to close the door but she had been surprised by her sudden appearance on the balcony. Well, Chat is usually the only one who uses this entrance.

"Tiana, it's nice to finally meet you." Ladybug greeted, smiling even considering the situation. It took a moment before Tiana smiled back.

"Ladybug, nice to finally meet you too." Ladybug wondered for a moment why her smile seemed almost forced, before Tiana stepped out onto the balcony beside her. "Is there something I can help you with, Chat just left." Tiana gestured in the direction which her partner had disappeared not minutes prior.

"I'm here to talk to you actually, not him." Ladybug admitted, looking off in the direction her partner had run off for a moment to make sure he hadn't seen her and was coming back.

"Is this about him not visiting me anymore?" That drew her full attention back to her. "I had his staff earlier when you left that message. He was out of the room. He's also told me about your desire for him not to endanger me by coming here." Tiana admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

She really shouldn't be surprised that she saw that message earlier. She knew Tiana knew, since Chat made that obvious by how he ignored her warning and kept visiting her friend at night. Though, the knowledge that Chat was openly allowing her to use his devices didn't settle well.

"I'm sure you've noticed all the fights we've been in this summer so far. It's risky for Chat to visit you so often and so obviously. I know you two are friends, but both of your safety and the job we owe to Paris is more important." Ladybug explained, looking in the open doors at the still playing TV they had been watching together.

"We talked about this twice now." Tiana revealed, Ladybug noticing the way her gaze didn't linger long on her. "He knows the risk, as do I. It seems to be plaguing him, the idea that he could be endangering me by visiting. He's pretty good at hiding how he's feeling, most of the time." Tiana said and Ladybug couldn't fight a frown from rising to her lips.

She definitely knew how Chat could hide how he's feeling. She could only imagine what more there was that Tiana didn't see. At that, she could only wonder if she knew about the pain she had put Chat through. Maybe that was why she could hardly look at her, because she knew that she broke Chat's heart.

"I'm not going to be in the city for the next week though, so there isn't much risk for now." Tiana said with a shrug. Ladybug didn't want to think about the trip just yet.

Yes, she was going too. But most of the summer was spent with Tikki trying to convince her that Paris would be fine for a week. She just hoped that would be true, considering Hawk Moth's recent activity. At least Master Fu was still here and promised to do his best to contain any possible issues.

And Chat, since if Tiana was gone he'd probably be more vigilant and ready for Hawk Moth's next attack.

Why did he have to possibly move on to one of her closest friends?

"Has he discussed with you the possibility of him not visiting you as often anymore?" Ladybug asked, noticing the way a small frown formed on her friends face.

"Yes, he said he knew that he doesn't want me in danger. But also that he doesn't want to stop because for a little while he gets to feel normal." Tiana admitted, Ladybug surprised because with all the time that he's been her partner he's never once said something like that to her.

Ladybug didn't like the way her stomach dropped at knowing Chat felt more at ease with someone he's known maybe six months over her who he's known about four years now.

"Honestly, I know you're hoping that I can convince him to walk away." Tiana said as Ladybug took a few steps away from her.

"I was, because he hasn't heeded my warnings. But I'm starting to think you wouldn't be able to convince him either. Or want to try either." Ladybug admitted, noticing in the dim light the way her friends face turned a light pink.

She definitely was going to have a talk with Chat when she got back next week. She wasn't sure if he may have feelings for her friend, but now she wasn't sure if Tiana might have them too considering the sight of them on the couch together watching movies.

"I think we both know he's prone to doing what he wants. But I can't lie to him by saying I don't want to see him anymore, Ladybug. For a little while, I can actually feel like I'm sitting in my home with my friend instead of in a prison cell." That was how she felt about what was supposed to be her home? She's never told any of them that, she's always usually so happy when they came over.

Or was that because of this exact reason that she didn't feel imprisoned for a little while?

"I'm sorry that you feel that way about your home." Ladybug said quietly, Tiana only shrugging slightly at her words. "I'm sure that if you talk with your friends they'd be happy to visit." Ladybug reminded, as she knew herself and Alya never minded visiting her here.

For that matter, neither did Nathaniel. And from how close they are, she doubted Adrien minded either.

"You know, he said the same thing to me." Tiana pointed out and Ladybug smiled reassuringly at knowing her partner at least was on her same wavelength even if he wasn't listening to her warning. "It's easier to just get out away from here though. That's why all summer we've all been out doing things together." Tiana said with another shrug. That was true, they had been busy this summer.

They've gone off topic here. This is supposed to be a talk about her and Chat.

"Anyways, it's good to know your visits will be cut back with your trip this week. But once you're back, you and Chat need to reconsider how much you're putting yourself at risk by having him visit you here. I know he likes you and doesn't want to stop, and I'm not saying to stop entirely. I'm just saying to cut back and be more careful. We never know when Hawk Moth could be watching." Ladybug reminded with a grim frown, as even nearly four years in they still didn't fully know what he could be capable of.

Tiana was silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. "I only ever hear you mention Hawk Moth. You two aren't worried about that other one, Rogue Wolf?" Ladybug immediately rolled her eyes at the mere mention of the wolf criminal.

"Rogue Wolf is nothing more than a thief. She's not much a threat to Chat and I, don't you worry about her. We stopped her before and we will continue to do so." Ladybug assured her friend and noticed the way her eyes seemed to glow with amusement at her.

"Well, I'll talk to Chat when I get back but I make no promises that he'll listen. I think that's more a discussion for you and him." Tiana said as she took a few steps towards her door.

"He likes you enough to take your thoughts into consideration, I'm sure. After all, if he didn't like hanging around you so much we wouldn't be having this talk right now." Ladybug reminded with a smile, since while it was a dangerous situation and she felt a little saddened that he moved on so quick, she was happy that her favorite kitty was happy.

Tiana dawned a surprisingly conflicted look at her words though instead of being happy like she would have assumed. Before she could ask why though, her phone rang from inside her bedroom.

"It was nice to finally meet you, Ladybug. But I better go answer that before my friend Lover Boy starts assuming things." Adrien was calling her this late? Why? He never usually calls her this late, she hasn't missed a call from him has she?

"It was nice finally meeting you too, have a nice night." Ladybug said before throwing her yo-yo and shooting away towards home.

She couldn't think about the Chat Tiana situation anymore at knowing that Adrien was calling Tiana so late. It was just past midnight, was something wrong?

She had just talked to him earlier today about whether his Father was letting him go tomorrow, and everything seemed fine. Minus the fact his Father was still unclear about if Adrien could go on the trip now.

The moment she landed on her roof she transformed back and flew down the ladder to her room to check her phone. But after picking it up, her heart sank more at seeing no missed calls or texts from Adrien. "What's wrong, Marinette?" Tikki asked as she hovered over with a cookie.

"Why is he calling Tiana so late at night but not me? Aren't he and I almost dating?" Marinette asked as she flopped back onto her bed, letting her phone drop onto the bed beside her.

"Maybe he was just calling her first and then he'll call you. You never know, Marinette. Maybe his Dad is letting him go tomorrow." Tikki said, always the positive thinker even when she feels a little betrayed by the guy who seems closer to their friend than she herself.

"I don't know, Tikki. I really don't know." Marinette muttered before rolling over and burying her face in her pillow.

Tiana might be falling for Chat, but it still doesn't feel right that the guy she loves is closer to their friend. She couldn't help worrying that maybe he's now falling for Tiana.

* * *

 **I'm late, I know. But at least I'm still posting today. Just an hour late. It took so long just to finish this one chapter.**

 **Ooh, it looks like Marinette's starting to worry about the nature of Adrien's friendship to Tiana. But even more important here is the fact that not just Chat visited this time, but Ladybug. Wonder if Tiana and Chat will actually have that talk though, considering it's already been discussed now twice between them and once with Ladybug.**

 **I guess we'll find out later. Thank you all so much for reading. For those of you who left comments, they really do help me write these chapters. Before I end this, I may or may not update next week. It honestly depends how quick I type the next chapter. I'm taking a trip out of state to visit some friends for a few days, so I wouldn't be writing during that time.**

 **I hope you understand if I don't update on time next week and forgive me. I'll try to get the chapter written quick, but I will see you then!**


	46. Situation

Tiana dropped back into her seat on the plane at last, Marinette, Alya and Nino in the row behind her all excited and full of energy while she felt thoroughly tired.

It's too early for all this. Especially when she didn't sleep much last night. Between Chat and Ladybug and then Adrien calling to let her know he was still talking to his Father and then about the show she had gotten him into watching, she hadn't really had time to herself to sleep for long.

It's only a two hour flight, but she's going to use that time to catch up on her missed sleep.

"Mind if I sit here?" Tiana opened her eyes she hadn't realized had slid close in time to see Marinette and Nino snatch Adrien in an excited hug.

"Dude, your Pops let you come!" Nino said excitedly as he swatted him on the back.

"Under a few certain conditions, yes." Adrien replied before giving Marinette a hug as she had been hugging his arm.

"Kiss already." Tiana whispered loudly, along with Alya which forced both of them into giggles when Marinette just lit up red in embarrassment and rounded on them.

Fortunately, she went after Alya so Tiana just relaxed back in her seat. Before Adrien sat down beside her instead.

"You look tired." Adrien commented, Tiana only humming in response as she grabbed her flight pillow to put around her neck. "Didn't sleep much last night?" Adrien asked once she was situated.

"Not really. Someone wanted to keep discussing a TV show." Tiana reminded, Adrien sheepishly smiling back at her. "Then there was a cat hanging around my room for a while, then a ladybug." Tiana pointed out, as Adrien knew that she's seen Chat but she's not given him the full extent of the whole friendship with him.

"Ladybug?" Tiana once again opened her eyes she hadn't realized closed to see a shocked look in her friends eyes. "Ladybug visited you?" Adrien asked quietly, to which Tiana just nodded. "Why?" Adrien then asked another question.

"You and your fascination with Ladybug." Tiana mused with a shake of her head. "She wanted to talk to me about Chat visiting. She doesn't want him to visit as much anymore, so she wants me to convince him not to." Tiana explained, noticing the way Adrien's usually happy green eyes started to shine with anger. What would he have to be angry about, she was the one visited by the girl that hates her when she's transformed.

Adrien opened his mouth to speak, but just then the flight attendant came on over the speakers to tell them to get ready for take off. Adrien closed his mouth with an audible click of his teeth together before settling back in his seat.

What's got him in a mood?

"Lover Boy?" Tiana spoke after the flight attendant went quiet and the plane started moving.

Adrien shifted his eyes back to her and for a change she felt intimidated by his stare as he looked upon her. Isn't the wolf supposed to be the intimidating one? What was she going to ask him again?

Adrien's annoyed gaze softened before she looked away. She's probably better off just going to sleep. "Hey." Tiana tried to ignore him, but his hand rested over hers on the arm rest. "Kitten." Tiana looked at him finally.

"I don't know why you're angry, but let's just drop the subject about Ladybug and Chat Noir." Tiana said before laying her head back against her pillow and trying to get comfortable.

She heard him sigh before he removed his hand from her own, flickering her gaze to him for a moment to see him drag a hand through his hair before resting his head against his seat as well. Why did it take her this long to realize how tired he too looked?

After the plane was in the air people started moving around the cabin. Marinette for instance hopped up to the empty seat beside Adrien to talk to him while Tiana just continued trying to catch the sleep she lost from the night before.

It felt like a lost cause, until she literally jolted awake when the plane shook and realized she had actually fallen into a dreamless sleep for however long. Looking to her side, Marinette and Adrien were whispering among themselves as the plane shook slightly again.

Opening the blind on the window beside her, she realized why it shook as they had landed and were on their way towards their gate. It feels like traveling between the two countries gets shorter and shorter each time.

"Well good morning." Tiana looked back to her friends beside her in time to catch Adrien's gaze before it went back to Marinette.

"Are you excited to be back, Tiana?" Marinette asked, positively bubbling with excitement from the fact that they finally arrived.

"Yeah." Tiana answered, stretching for a moment before pulling the pillow away from her neck.

"You look more rested now." Adrien mused as Marinette talked to Alya behind them.

"I only feel slightly more rested." Tiana replied, before remembering how tired he had looked earlier. "I assume you didn't sleep during the flight?" Tiana asked while nodding towards Marinette.

Adrien shrugged in response, before she noticed something. His hand was holding Marinette's on their shared arm rest.

Tiana couldn't fight off the Rogue like grin that sprouted. "So, is it official now then?" Tiana asked as she waved a hand towards their intertwined ones.

Adrien looked down at their entwined hands, but once again as he opened his mouth to speak the flight attendant interrupted him to let them know they were clear to move about the cabin and disembark.

"Congrats, you two." Tiana said with a wink, which made Marinette light up bright red and Adrien went to say something.

But Alya heard her words and chose that moment to nearly leap over the seat with squealing excitement over the two.

By the time they were all off the plane and getting into the tour bus, Adrien seemed to have given up on whatever he was trying to say and just sat in his seat looking like a dejected puppy.

Tiana would have sat with him, but Marinette claimed the seat beside him quickly and so she sat beside Nathaniel instead.

Nathaniel looked almost as dejected as Adrien did though. "What's wrong?" Tiana asked as classmates passed them to get to their seats.

"It's nothing." Nathaniel answered softly, but he leveled him with a look to let him know she didn't believe that. Instead, his gaze shifted towards the couple a few rows ahead of them.

"Is this about Marinette? I know you and her have been hanging out a lot recently." Tiana said instead of being straight forward and pointing out that he was definitely interested in their sugary sweet friend.

"Just like you and this mystery guy." Nathaniel's bitter response came with a snap that caught her off guard, looking to the red head in surprise to see him turn his gaze to the window instead of at her. "You tell Marinette's boyfriend who he is, but not me." Nathaniel hissed quietly not unlike a spurned cat.

"Nat-"

"Just...just leave me alone for now. I just want to be left alone." Nathaniel said before putting in earbuds and giving his full attention to anything outside the window.

Tiana sighed before grabbing the bag at her feet and standing up to move seats. Vaguely, she felt like eyes followed her as she moved further back on the bus. But if it's Nathaniel he asked her to leave him alone.

Maybe the whole Chat Noir thing really isn't a good idea...

Tiana was fortunately left to sit alone in the back, pulling her own headphones on to drown the excited happiness of her classmates out behind classical melodies.

How can Nathaniel really be mad at her when he was the one giving more of an interest in Marinette than herself? Granted, neither of them were in the right here. She hasn't been giving her fullest attention to it either.

But that doesn't make it right that he makes the villain out of her when Marinette is also just as much at fault for getting close to him and then falling back to Adrien.

Her phone buzzed against her thigh as the tour bus moved them towards their next destination. Looking down, she saw the familiar icon on her screen to let her know she had a text from Adrien.

Tiana swiped it away without much thought. She much like Nathaniel just wanted to sulk for the moment, alone at that.

Glancing up towards the front of the bus she saw the way he still had his head leaned against the window and was sat alone. Alya, Nino, Marinette and Adrien a few rows ahead were animatedly talking just like the rest of the class though.

When the bus pulled up to their hotel for their stay, Tiana waited until most of the class had already gotten off before making her way off the bus as well.

Stepping down off the bus, she was met by her friends as she pulled her headphones off her ears. "Nice headphones." Alya mused with a sly smirk and nod towards the cat ears on them.

Oh great, now she's probably going to start insinuating something is between her and Chat Noir just like Adrien already does.

Once everyone was off the bus and had their things, they started being shuffled towards the massive hotel in front of them.

A hand brushed her back as she walked, barely glancing at the blonde as he walked beside her. "What's going on? You sat alone on the bus and didn't even respond to my text." Adrien reminded her as they walked into the fancy hotel.

"You texted me?" Tiana tried in vain to act like she hadn't seen it, but his knowing gaze told her he wasn't falling for it.

"Alright students, we have two floors to ourselves. Feel free to pick your rooms, you know the rules. Boys and girls separately." One of the chaperon's said before he started handing out key cards to them.

"I don't see that rule being followed." Tiana mused with a nod of her head towards Alya and Nino, the latter already waving a key card at his girlfriend.

"If they get caught, it's their own fault." Adrien said with a shrug. "All they do is stay up half the night talking about the most random things, anyways." Adrien said and Tiana couldn't help the snort of laughter at his innocence.

"Yeah, that's totally what they do all night, Lover Boy. You'd think with that nickname, your mind wouldn't be so innocently pure." Tiana teased and tapped him on the temple with her index finger.

Adrien just gave her a crooked smile. "Ever think that maybe I was trying to make you laugh?" Tiana's smile fell away as he continued smiling at her.

Well, maybe he isn't so innocent.

"Oh go find your girlfriend." Tiana said before walking forward to go grab a key card from the chaperon.

"But she's not...ugh." Tiana vaguely heard a response from her best friend before she was out of range.

* * *

Adrien dragged his fingers through his hair, listening vaguely to Nino across the room complain about being caught so fast.

He really wasn't interested in this right now. He was more interested in the fact that now a majority of their class thought he was dating Marinette when the very real reality of it was that he was falling for his best friend.

That's still hard to admit to himself, even considering how amazing it feels to even talk to her.

But now because of this little joke that turned into a full blown issue, a few of his friends were upset and Marinette was too embarrassed to even help him. He hasn't even had a chance to explain to her that he's really not into the idea of dating her right now.

He would no doubt withhold the real reason why he doesn't want to.

Nathaniel has looked like a kicked puppy since they got off the plane, and from the looks of it something must have happened between him and Tiana because now she's closing herself off. She even ignored his text earlier when he asked if she was alright.

Which was a definite sting to his ego, since usually she lets him in on if something is upsetting her.

He wanted to be Chat Noir so bad. He wanted to go to her, to help her feel better. Keep whatever dares upset her far away.

Ironic considering he's partially at fault for her being upset, since Nathaniel's upset that Marinette is supposedly his girlfriend now.

"Dude, you'd think you would be happy to finally have a girlfriend after all these years of pining for mystery girl." Nino dragged him from his sulky thoughts with that one comment about his disastrous love life.

"Nino, we're not dating. Please, don't keep saying that because it's just going to keep floating around as a rumor." Adrien said as he stood from his sitting position on his bed.

"I was just kidding, dude. I know you're not really vibing with Mari anymore. Obviously you made a good choice visiting Italy with us, considering your interest in their women." Adrien groaned loudly as Nino snickered quietly.

"Please stop." Adrien muttered quietly, not bothering to deny it because once Nino believes something, it's basically pointless to argue that it's not true.

"If it's really not true between you and Marinette, just let everyone know. You have no idea how many pictures Alya got of Chloe trying to burn her alive on the bus with just her gaze. You two aren't ready to date yet, that's fine." Nino said with a shrug of his shoulders as he continued pulling through his suitcase.

"It's not even so much that as that this one little joke ended up blowing up and now many people are upset by it." Adrien reminded, because obviously Nino had to have noticed Nathaniel's sulking since the red head even declined rooming with them.

"Man, it's fine. That's not on you, that's on Marinette for leading Nathaniel to believe that there was a chance even between them when she's so obviously into you." Nino reminded, which wasn't entirely wrong as Marinette did spend a night with Nathaniel when they were camping.

"Obvious, huh? Cause before earlier she hadn't even hugged me since we got back from camping." Adrien pointed out to his best friend who now had a thoughtful look.

"I honestly think she's just a little confused right now. I mean, she liked you for however long and now you two are trying to figure things out at last. Then, Nathaniel's also getting more cozy with her. Finally, doesn't help that you slept in another girl's tent instead of hers." Adrien went to open his mouth and protest but Nino held up a hand. "Dude, I know. She did the same exact thing that night. I'm just saying, it's all confusing." Nino finished and Adrien sat back down on the edge of his bed.

Maybe he's right. Maybe he just needs to sit down with Marinette and talk about this with her. Even he's confused at this point, because Nino is right in that Mari and Nat getting so close does make his own relationship with Mari even more complicated.

"Man, just go talk to her. Then maybe once that's done you can figure out what's going on between you and your Kitten." Adrien snapped his eyes to his best friend with a weak glare and only earned a smirk in turn.

Even considering the teasing, not much more than ten minutes later he was standing at the girls door waiting for them to answer. Vaguely, he could hear shouting from within as he waited and assumed Alya was probably on one of her rants again.

Marinette opened the door and let out a quiet squeak. "Hey." Adrien greeted as he finally heard what was going on within.

"-tell me! It's so obvious once you wear your cat headphones!" Alya shouted and he heard a thump follow her words.

"Alyas interrogating Tiana about Chat Noir." Marinette revealed before turning back to the other two still inside the room. "I'll be back, Alya don't kill her." Adrien raised an eyebrow at her choice of words before she stepped out of the room.

"We need to talk." Adrien said first when she just looked up at him curiously.

"This is about earlier, isn't it?" Marinette asked, Adrien noticing the way her bright gaze dimmed a little bit. Like she already knew he was going to say he didn't want people to believe they were dating yet.

His chest ached with knowing he's hardly said more than a sentence but was already hurting her.

"Yes, it is." Adrien admitted, before leading her away from her door when the shouting got louder and banging began accompanying it.

"I know Chloe's mad about it." Marinette said once they were away from the door. "Apparently she wouldn't stop glaring at me on the bus." Marinette said with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Nathaniel's upset too. Which I can't really blame him considering how close you two have gotten over the summer." Adrien reminded, biting his tongue when he noticed the way Marinette seemed to shrink into herself a little at the mention.

"He's supposed to be dating Tiana." Marinette muttered quietly, Adrien trying to suppress the pang in his chest at the reminder the girl he was falling for was supposed to be giving their friend a chance. "He knew we were only friends." Marinette continued as he noticed the way she squeezed her arms around her as though trying to hide from the words she spoke.

Gently, he worked her hands off her arms and she gave him her bluebell gaze once more. "Marinette, I like that we're still talking. But I think we need to do a little more of that before we consider saying we're dating." Adrien explained, wanting to hug her when he noticed the way her eyes dimmed a little more at his words.

"I kind of figured you'd say that." Marinette murmured quietly, confusing him as he hasn't alluded to this at all since it started on the plane. Even during the bus ride, he still sat with her and just tried to stay happy and enjoy the trip.

"I'm sorry, Mari. I just want to give it a little more time. Plus, it seems a little unfair to you to start dating over holding your hand." Adrien reminded, squeezing the one he was still holding to prevent her from squeezing her arm. "You deserve something much more memorable as a start to a relationship." Adrien assured her, smiling easier when her face started to turn a light red.

There conversation didn't continue much more when the door to the girls shared room flew open with a bang and out ran Tiana followed by Alya. Wait, why was Alya holding a pillow like she meant to use it as some form of weapon.

"You tell me right now, girl! You told him before me?" Alya shouted as Tiana shot past them both with Alya shooting past not seconds later.

"Alya!" Marinette scolded loudly, forgetting him and chasing after her friends.

Well this doesn't look like it could end well.

Adrien ran after the girls for so long he felt his lungs burned and wondered how they were still going. Eventually, they somehow ended up in his shared room with Nino with Tiana hiding behind his other best friend.

Obviously, she must not realize Alya will ignore the fact that Nino is her boyfriend in order to get whatever she wants out of her.

Alya lunged at the two, and with surprising grace and agility Tiana was out from behind Nino before Alya even touched him.

This time, she ducked into the bathroom and he heard the lock click before Alya could even recover from tackling Nino onto his bed.

"Alright, that's enough. This has gone on long enough the teachers will probably show up soon." Adrien chastised as he stepped in front of the closed door to keep Alya away from his Kitten.

He might not be in costume, but he can still protect her as a civilian.

"She has to tell me! She's even told you, but if you want me to leave her alone you could always tell me." Adrien frowned at Alyas words and folded his arms over his chest. He wasn't about to tell her, because it would only serve to complicate the situation further.

Alya would not hesitate to post on her blog that her friend has encounters with Chat Noir. Which means it would be harder for him to see her because the paparazzi would be watching even more for him.

"What is going on in here?" Adrien turned his gaze to the doorway where fortunately their language teacher stood with a disapproving frown on her lips.

Saved by the teacher.

After everything was broken up by their teacher, he didn't hear much more badgering or arguing from the girls. Come lunch time, when they were all piling into the bus once more to go to a restaurant, he was surprised when he noticed Marinette sitting with a still bothered looking Nathaniel.

With a glance towards the back of the bus, he saw his Kitten sitting alone again and made his way back. It did bother him a little when she hardly glanced at him when he sat down before looking back out the window.

"Penny for your thoughts, Kitten?" Adrien asked, nudging his shoulder into her own.

"Ever feel like things are destined to be complicated?" Adrien didn't mean to snort at her words, but couldn't help himself. If only she knew...

"I think it's part of life. What would life be if things weren't so complicated?" Adrien asked as the bus began to move. "This about what you told me on the plane?" Adrien asked next, not surprised when her lips dropped into a small frown.

How badly he wanted to do anything to make that frown disappear.

"I should have never told any of you." Tiana muttered quietly, his chest aching at her words. "Now because of it Alyas probably going to post something and I'll never have another day of peace. If not her, someone else probably will figure it out and do it for her." Tiana grumbled bitterly as he tried to ignore the sting in his chest that she wished she hadn't trusted him with her supposed secret.

Even though he was the other half of it.

The sting in his chest was easy to ignore when he looked at her, at the way she looked so alone. So confused, complicated.

His arm went around her without much thought and pulled her into his side, not caring anymore where they were or that he was supposed to be possibly dating Marinette soon. Tiana was stiff against him for a moment, before going lax.

Her arm slid around his back, and the pain in his chest faded away as he enjoyed being close to her without wearing a mask and leather suit. "Thank you." He looked down at her at those two simple words, smiling when he noticed the way she buried her face against his shoulder the same way she did when they shared her tent last week.

If only she was this way with Chat Noir. Instead, she just let him cuddle up to her. Come to think of it, it's usually him doing all the hugging too, unless she's had a bad day.

"You know you can trust me." Adrien said before remembering he wasn't with her as Chat this time. Her eyes flickered up to him briefly. "I won't tell anyone, and I'll do my best to help if you ask. Whatever is going on between you two, it's between you." Adrien said with a soft smile, that growing when she hugged into his side tighter not seconds later.

"Thank you." Tiana repeated those same words as he chuckled softly at her affection. "Honestly, I just want to spend the week forgetting about the whole mess I'm in right now, but thank you." Adrien still smiled at her even though his chest once again ached at her mentioning their relationship, or whatever it is, as a mess.

Was he the only one that felt anything here, again?

He wanted to be happy that he's helped her feel better, but the ache in his chest didn't go away this time when she stayed against his side. It persisted as he worried that this was going to turn out the same way it did with Ladybug.

He didn't want to love in vain anymore. He just wants to be loved back, to at least be able to belong to someone and have her belong to him too. But can he have that with Tiana, even if his feelings were true and didn't falter?

Was Tiana even attracted to Chat Noir? Or was he like Mighty Lion to her, just another hero to talk to for a little while? He wanted to know...

Adrien's thoughts were broken when he heard a click, looking up to barely catch Alya hiding her phone after taking a picture. Looking down at Tiana in his side, he noticed she was completely unaware as she had her gaze on her phone.

Nudging her hair with his nose and mentally cursing himself as that made him only want to cuddle closer to her, he got Tiana to look up at him once again. "Alyas taking pictures." Adrien nodded his head towards where their friend was sitting.

Tiana rolled her eyes before returning them to her phone. Adrien chuckled quietly at her obvious current annoyance with their blogger friend.

Maybe Tiana had the right idea. Maybe this week should just be focused on their trip instead of what all is happening back at home. What's happening between them when he's in costume can be discussed when they get back.

Which was definitely happening as he at least wanted to know if there was even a ounce of hope.

Lunch was surprisingly quiet, like everyone was tired even though it was only mid day. It was at a beautiful restaurant that allowed them to sit outside and enjoy the warm weather, so he was a little surprised by the quiet.

He was however surprised when Nathaniel asked Tiana to sit with him almost immediately after getting off the bus. The rest of them gave the two their space and sat together, with Alya tap tap tapping away at her phone while he, Nino and Mari talked quietly.

Looking over the lip of his glass in the direction of his Kitten, he noticed the quiet but seemingly heated discussion that she was having with Nathaniel. His curious cat side wished he still had Chat Noir's hearing, but he knew that wouldn't be right. This was between them.

"So are you two sitting together when we go on the boat rides?" Nino asked, pulling his attention away from Tiana and Nathaniel.

"It's a Gondola, Nino." Marinette corrected him as he chuckled softly. "And that's not until the end of the trip." Marinette said, but he noticed the way her cheeks tinted pink.

"So? Alya and I already planned to ride together, hopefully alone." Nino nudged Alyas elbow on the table but she only hummed and kept her eyes on her phone screen.

"It's one of the most romantic things to do in Italy." Alya spoke up a second later when he was about to speak. "Even more romantic than putting locks on the bridge back home, I'd say." Alya finally looked up and he couldn't help the heated blush that rose to his face.

Yeah, he had put one of those such padlocks on the bridge for Ladybug.

"Well they started cutting those off, so it's not as romantic anymore." Nino reminded them, and he was kind of happy that they had now since he obviously wasn't getting together with his Lady.

"But you two should ride together. See how magical the ride can be." Alya said and nudged Marinette with an elbow before giving him a pointed look. Why is it he feels like if he doesn't, Alya will torment him for days on end?

"We'll probably ride together, right Mari?" Adrien asked and smiled Marinette's way when a shy blush rose to her face.

"Y-yeah." Marinette shyly agreed to him before Nino started snickering across from him.

"Better get that kiss in then. You know, the tale is if while riding in the gondola you kiss under a bridge, you'll stay together forever." Alya revealed, and he felt a little guilty when his eyes flickered towards his Kitten for a moment instead of towards the girl beside him who squeaked at Alyas words.

"Alya!" Marinette exclaimed loudly, Nino laughing openly as Mari tried to whack Alya with her napkin.

That's just some tradition. Adrien doubts it could be true, because if it were his love lock with Ladybug would still be in tact. It can't possibly work.

Right?

* * *

 **I'm sorry for such a delay in updating this! Like I warned last chapter, I did go out of state for a few days. So I only just now finished this chapter as I was too busy on my long overdue vacation. Sorry it's just a little filler chapter though, even I wasn't very satisfied with the way this chapter turned out.**

 **Then again, I'm my greatest critic half the time when writing. But ooh, that ending seems like it could lead somewhere, don't you think? Not to mention, it seems both Adrien and Tiana are starting to rethink about their situation that they're in.**

 **Guess we'll have to wait until next chapter to see what happens there. Thank you as always for reading! I'm going to go start on the next chapter, so I'll see you all then!**


	47. The Accident

How this happened was still a mystery.

Adrien propped his leg up on his knee as Marinette sat with her legs stretched over his lap and nursed a bottle of water, long since cut off from anymore wine. She was having a swell time giggling at Alya and Nino's horrid dancing across the room though.

Though maybe all that giggling was an effect of the wine too.

Somehow, they had managed to get wine with dinner. And not just one glass like it would be respectable and safe. No, their entire class somehow got multiple bottles shared around.

With one bottle still floating around the room filled with his classmates, he was probably one of few still completely sober. He wasn't much of a social drinker.

He had a few beers when they went camping, but that was it. He's not too interested in knowing how he would get should he drink too much.

Like the giggling girl still stretched out over his lap.

The teachers weren't even around anymore. The moment they got back to the hotel and found one last empty room on the floors they had control over to have a little party, the teachers were just missing. Maybe they were doing the same and enjoying their last few days free before class starts back up again.

Adrien chuckled when he watched Nino stumble against Alya while dancing. Marinette giggled louder beside him, before watching as Kim began leading Alix towards the door. "Finally, you two!" Marinette squealed, about to jump up from the couch before he grabbed her and pulled her back down.

He didn't want her to possibly fall and hurt herself.

"Girl, you two should should take the lead too!" Alix said back before Kim lead her the rest of the way out of the room.

Marinette just giggled quietly before flickering her bluebell gaze up to him. He smiled down at her, hoping it didn't bother her that they just suggested that when the both of them knew it wasn't going to happen.

The fact that, even while under the influence, she looked away too quickly told him that it did bother her though.

Guilt settled in his chest once again at knowing he was being unfair to her.

"Mari!" Suddenly Marinette was pulled out of his reach by Alya. "Come look!" Adrien's curiosity peaked as he watched Alya drag Marinette out of the room, getting up and following after them to see what was so important that she pulled her away like that.

Following them a few feet back, Alya kept twisting and turning and even went up a flight of stairs. Surprising, as he's pretty sure she's had more to drink than Marinette. But yet they can somehow manage their way around the hotel...

Finally, they came to a stop after a few minutes in front of the girls room. What's so interesting up here?

Alya opened the door with surprising care compared to throwing every other door open, and his chest felt heavy at the sight he saw.

Laying on the couch of their room was Nathaniel and Tiana, his kitten with her head on his shoulder. Even from the door, he could see the red tint to Nat's cheeks and the bright smile both of them held.

Adrien was about to turn around and leave, the ache in his chest telling him to walk away. But someone stumbled into him from behind and forced him to stumble into the other two girls in turn.

"Guys, we were trying to be sneaky!" Mari whined as he braced them against the open door, Nino shuffling past into Alya.

A quick glance towards the couch showed him the other two knew they were there now, but they didn't move from their spots.

"What are you two up to in here then?" Nino asked and proceeded to join the two on the couch.

"Talking." Tiana replied before snickering, which in turn Nathaniel started talking.

"About?" Alya leaned on the back of the couch now so awkwardly that he thought she might tip over the back on top of the other two.

"It's a secret." Tiana held a finger in front of her lips, Adrien realizing that she much like the others must have gotten into the wine.

Was he the only one completely sober?

"It's totally a secret that you're terrified of this mystery guy." Nathaniel spoke up next and Adrien found himself behind the couch now too to hear what this was about.

"Nat!" Tiana swatted his shoulder after sluggishly sitting up.

"It's not my fault you have commitment issues." Nathaniel replied without flinching at the swat Tiana delivered to his shoulder.

An indignant pout settled on Tiana's lips that made Nathaniel start giggling.

"Everyone can see it." Alya butted in next. Everyone? As far as he's aware, Tiana doesn't have issues committing to seeing Chat Noir each night.

"Who is this guy?" Adrien almost flinched when Marinette shuffled against him, leaning on him as she looked over the couch at Tiana and Nathaniel. "I thought you two were going to date." Mari pointed a finger between the two on the couch.

"It's Chat Noir, isn't it?" Alya spoke up as soon as Tiana's mouth opened to answer.

"No it's not!" Tiana replied just as quick and he almost laughed a little at her quickness being her downfall as the others snickered at her.

"Just because you're afraid to fall for him doesn't mean he hasn't for you." Nathaniel spoke over the teasing, and Adrien felt his heart thump against his ribs at knowing he wasn't wrong.

He might not know how she really feels, but it didn't stop him from becoming attracted to her.

"Not afraid." Tiana pouted and stood from the couch, barely making it to one of the beds before laying down on it.

"Oh please." Alya sat on the back of the couch and faced their friend. "It's so obvious you're afraid to commit to someone. Whatever reason you have for being scared, it's fine. But it shouldn't stop you from being with someone." Wow, for being drunk right now she sure does make a point.

Tiana glared their way before shakily standing from the bed and going into the adjacent bathroom. "Touchy." Nino teased before falling back onto the couch on top of Nathaniel, who grunted in response.

"I feel bad for her." Marinette whispered before walking away from him.

Adrien watched the four for a few more minutes before walking over to the door and knocking softly. A quiet go away was given to him, but he didn't want her upset by the teasing again.

When he knocked a second time, she opened the door this time and he nodded towards the door out of the suite. Hopefully she wasn't too inebriated to know he just wanted to talk and listen. He didn't want to tease like the others.

Once they were out of the room and the door clicked behind them, Adrien noticed the pout still on her lips. "If you're going to tease too..."

"I wouldn't do that to you, Kitten." Adrien reminded, offering her a small smile when her gaze flickered up to him. His smile fell when he noticed the look in her eyes though. He knew it too well from seeing his own reflection enough times.

"They don't even understand." Tiana muttered indignantly before he put a hand on the small of her back to start leading her somewhere to talk that's further away from their friends.

"Then help me understand. Where they partially right about the commitment issues?" Adrien asked, earning a brief glare as they walked. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, everyone's afraid of something." Adrien reminded her, as he had his fair share of issues.

"I've never even dated before, so how could it be commitment issues?" Tiana retorted as he lead her down the stairs to the next floor.

"Why is that, then?" Adrien asked, catching her by the wrist when she stumbled in her step for a moment. It's odd to see her movements anything but graceful.

"Have you seen my life?" Tiana asked with the sarcasm he's used to by now, almost like she was unaware that she just stumbled and he caught her.

"Trust me, I understand what it feels like to feel like you have no control over your own life. But I feel like that's one thing that you'd strive for because that is your control. You get to choose to date someone and that's between you two. No one else can stop it." Adrien explained as they finally came to a stop in front of his shared room with Nino.

"No, but when it feels like it's predestined to fail, it's hard to try." Tiana replied rather darkly, Adrien frowning at the unusual tone.

"Why do you say that? You're an amazing girl, Kitten. It's not destined to fail." Adrien said and felt his heart race a little faster when he noticed the pink hue coat her cheeks for a moment.

"It feels like it's destined to fail because it has for the rest of my family. My grandfather loved the same woman for almost his entire life but never got to call her his. It's hard to want something that can make you feel so great after watching the pain that can come with it too." Tiana explained, and for a moment her situation sounded vaguely familiar.

But the sad look in her eyes made him forget about that and just want to help somehow.

"Just because it happened to someone close to you doesn't mean it will happen to you, Tiana. You shouldn't live your life in fear of the pain, you should look forward to the happiness and excitement." Adrien explained quietly, brushing his hand over hers when she turned her eyes away from him.

"I don't want to be broken the way he is when he has to look at her with someone else." Tiana replied just as quiet and he had enough then and there.

Adrien's arms went around her without a second thought and pulled her into him, genuinely happy when she didn't tense up and instead slid her arms around his lower back. She's so afraid to love, so scared.

He just wants to give her happiness, no matter if it means even he gets hurt in the end. He wants to know how she feels about him, his alter ego, but right now helping her away from the dark worry in her heart is more important.

Adrien pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head before freeing one of his hands to find his key card to open the door they were still standing in front of. When he felt her arms start withdrawing from him, he moved his free hand to hold them tight as he opened the door and lead her in.

"What're..." Adrien shushed her as he closed the door behind them.

"Kitten, you deserve to be loved. You deserve to love someone as much as your heart can handle. It's scary, heck it's terrifying." Adrien admitted, as there wasn't a day where he wasn't a little terrified of the outcome being that he wouldn't be loved back. "But it shouldn't stop you from trying. It shouldn't scare you to the point that you physically cannot try." Adrien explained as Tiana pulled back from him a little to look up at him.

"And if he doesn't love me back?" Tiana asked in a shaky voice that made him pull her right back to him.

"He's insane if he doesn't. But if that ever ended up being the case, then you at least know you tried and can move on to someone who will love you the way you deserve." Adrien soothed, feeling her hands ball against his sides before pressing her face against his shoulder.

"I wish I were a simple as you. Able to move on so easily to someone else." Adrien grimaced a little at her words. It really wasn't simple. He still loves Ladybug, but it's a losing fight. She doesn't love him back, so he has to move on.

It only became more complex when he started falling for his best friend.

"Wish I could say that my love life was as simple as you say it to be, Kitten." Adrien admitted, Tiana looking up at him as he sent her a small, albeit sad, smile. "Doesn't stop me from trying though." Adrien reminded, smiling a little easier when her arms left his side and instead wove around his neck.

"I'm sorry." What is she sorry for? She hasn't done anything wrong.

"Kitten..."

"For assuming it was simple. That it doesn't still hurt you that you can't be with that mystery girl." Tiana said and his chest once again pounded painfully at the reminder he would never have the first girl he truly loved for himself.

But...maybe it really wasn't meant to be. Maybe he was supposed to move on, find a sweetly devious Italian girl with a life far too similar to his own and move on with her help. Help her move on from her own fears.

"I'm fine, Tiana. I just want to help you, now." Adrien admitted, breath hitching when her nose nuzzled against his neck for a moment as she hugged him.

How can one girl effect him so much? When he's still trying to fully understand how he feels, no less.

"Thank you." Tiana murmured against his neck, her warm breath against his skin only making his breath catch once more in his throat.

"I'm always here for you, Tiana." Adrien assured, feeling her pull her face away from his neck.

Adrien turned his face to press a kiss to her temple, but met something else instead.

His chest blossomed with an almost searing warmth the moment it happened. His heart raced miles a minute, fingers itching to pull her closer.

It was completely accidental, but he didn't want it to stop. He wanted more even though it felt like she was stealing the very air from his lungs.

He never thought about how it would feel before. But her lips were soft, warm against his own. It was gentle, and accidental, but that didn't stop him from feeling like it was...that this was right.

But too soon, it ended. Tiana pulled away from him and covered her lips with her fingers, looking up at him with a startled look glazing her once sad blue gaze.

It took him another moment to come out of the fog and realize exactly what just happened.

"I-I'm so sorry. I didn't-"

"I..."

Tiana backed away from him and out of his arms, his fingertips itching to pull her back into him. To follow.

He at least wanted another, he wanted to kiss her again. It wasn't how he imagined it would happen, but he couldn't lie and say it didn't just ignite him.

"That wasn't...it shouldn't..." Tiana murmured and kept her hand over her soft lips.

Wait...that was her first kiss. He just accidentally took her first kiss.

"Tiana, I'm sorry. I was going to kiss your temple, not..."

"I need to go." Tiana interrupted him and reached for the door.

No, no she can't leave like this. He didn't mean to do it, but he definitely didn't regret it. He didn't want her to regret it, or be upset with him.

"Kitten, wait." Adrien tried to stop her as she opened the door, but she hurried out the door.

He didn't hesitate to follow her out, catching her just at the bottom of the stairs. "Please just-"

"I didn't mean to do that, I'm so sorry. I know that was your first kiss, and I'm so sorry it ended up being by accident." Adrien apologized as she kept her back to him. At the very least, he at least wanted her to look at him.

"I was going to kiss your cheek, as a thank you for helping me." Tiana replied, and he felt like shrinking into himself at how bothered she sounded. Did she not feel anything from that one small, quick kiss? Like her entire body was set ablaze like he felt?

"I didn't know. I was going to kiss your temple. It was just...bad timing." Adrien didn't want to phrase it that way, because it DEFINITELY wasn't bad in his opinion.

"You're supposed to be dating my friend, our friend, Adrien!" Tiana turned to face him now and he kind of regretted his desire for her to look at him. "And we just..." Tiana covered her lips again with her hand.

Adrien was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say to make it better, because technically while she was misinformed she was kind of right. He was supposed to be possibly dating Marinette, but he just kissed Tiana.

"It wasn't supposed to be like that." Tiana whispered, turning away from him again. "It wasn't supposed to be you." Tiana said even quieter, and his once racing heart clenched painfully at her words.

Wasn't supposed to be him? She regretted it that much and never even considered the possibility of him?

Adrien stepped back away from her as his heart pounded painfully against his ribs. "I'm sorry." Adrien said simply before walking away from her.

Adrien closed the door with a little too much force behind him once he got back to his room, pressing his back against the door before sliding down to the floor.

What was he expecting? He's still a black cat, luck will never truly be on his side.

* * *

Tiana regretted what she said the moment Adrien walked away. Even without Verro's help, she heard the way the door closed a little too loud behind him.

Even with the wine in her system, and her own internal freak out, she felt bad for saying something like that to him when he was just trying to help.

But how could she not be upset? Adrien kissed her! He was dating Marinette!

Whenever she would think of her first kiss, she would think of something romantic. Like on a balcony beneath the the light of the moon and stars surrounded by pillows and blankets. Or after a performance that was preceded by a bouquet of roses.

Heck, even stealing from comic books and suspending upside down as Rogue had graced her mind before.

But by accident? That was never considered, she never thought it would be with her best friend.

Who was dating her other friend.

How was she supposed to tell Marinette? The girl has pined for him for years, and then finds out when they're finally together he kissed another girl before her?

Marinette's never going to forgive her. Neither will Alya when she finds out too.

Tiana ended up laying awake tossing most of the night, her mind unwilling to let her get over what happened. Even Verro snarled quietly at her from his hiding place, annoyed with her tossing and turning.

But the other thing that kept inching its way into her mind before being forced out by her turmoil was that...it wasn't even unpleasant.

Maybe for Adrien it was, but she didn't entirely hate it. Her guilt still wins out, but it didn't stop it from feeling nice.

It was quick, but gentle and warm. She pulled away so quick that she only barely realized how her heart raced and her chest warmed up.

Was that how it was supposed to feel?

Tiana rolled onto her side and spotted the black and green headphones on her nightstand and her mind became aware of a newer issue with the whole situation.

Chat Noir.

They weren't anything more than friends, but now she felt even more guilty at thinking that this happened. Ladybug made it sound like he was really attached to her.

What would he think if he heard that she kissed her best friend who was dating her other friend?

When the day began and they were all called down for breakfast, she was almost glad most of the class had hangovers and was quiet.

She didn't want to talk. She just wanted to think, try to figure out if there was a way to fix this whole mess.

When everyone was sluggishly making their way on the bus, she passed by her friends and went back to the empty seat at the back. Once she was seated, she looked up in time to see Adrien get on the bus and their eyes briefly locked.

Before his gaze hardened and he looked away to sit down beside Nino.

Tiana shrunk further into herself before pulling her headphones over her ears.

For once, Tiana was grateful to be alone. Even as everyone else quietly talked around the bus and she felt lonely, she reminded herself that it was needed right now.

If she was around Marinette anymore, her guilt would only eat her alive until she couldn't help but tell the truth.

And if she was around Adrien, she would just remember that she's hurt him more by pushing him away than even from what had happened.

The day went that way for a few more hours. Everyone fortunately so tired that they just left her alone. She was surprised she wasn't tired, considering her lack of sleep. Maybe her guilt and overactive mind was keeping her from feeling it.

As they were sitting down for lunch at a cafe, her luck finally ran out. But even more surprising, it wasn't any of her friends.

Chloe sat down at her table, for once not flanked by Sabrina.

"Can I help you?" Tiana asked carefully as she looked at the blonde across from her. What could she possibly want, to torment her more than she's done herself?

Or does she know, and she's here to yell at her for kissing the guy that she's in love with much like Marinette.

"It's starting to get sickening watching the way you and Adrikins keep dancing around staying away from each other." Chloe said in her usual callous manner, and Tiana frowned as she took the glass from in front of her and took a big drink.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Chloe. Everyone's just tired today because of last night." Tiana reminded, as Chloe herself wasn't innocent of drinking a little too much. The only difference is that she left earlier than the rest of them.

"There's a difference between being too tired to talk, and avoiding one another. Whatever happened last night, you two need to just talk it out and move on." Chloe said as she looked down at her perfectly manicured nails. "Just blame it on the wine or something, I don't know. Just get over it, because it's less terrible looking at the way you two are joined at the hip than it is seeing the broken look he has and the lost puppy look you have." Chloe said as she looked up at her, and for once Tiana didn't immediately ignore her every word.

Broken look?

Tiana's eyes flickered over to the guy in question to see his usual perfect posture slouched and how he wasn't paying much mind to the others sitting at the table with him.

His usually bright green eyes briefly flickered her way and met her own before he looked away just as quick once more.

Did she really do that to him just with those few words?

Tiana looked down at her glass as her chest ached at knowing she hurt her best friend to such a degree. What happened between them was bad considering both of their situation, but for once Chloe is right.

They should have talked it out. She shouldn't have ran.

For being a wolf that's supposed to be brave, she sure if a coward.

"So are you going to talk to him or not? Because he's not even talking to me right now, and we're like best friends." Chloe said and for once Tiana didn't roll her eyes at Chloe's every word.

"Thanks, Chloe." Tiana replied simply to her very unique way of trying to help, offering a small albeit weak smile at the surprised look before pulling her phone out of her pocket.

Her finger hesitated for a moment from hitting the LB icon in her text conversations, before opening it and beginning to type a message to him.

 _I'm sorry about last night. Can we talk?_

Hitting send, the waiting felt almost as bad as the guilt. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him pull out his phone. He looked at it for only a moment before putting it away again.

He doesn't want to talk?

Tiana spent lunch listening to Chloe's thoughts about the places they had visited so far that day and trying to drown the pain in her with her water. She wanted to leave, she wanted to go home.

She wanted to go back to _Nonna_ and _Grand-père_ , drown out the pain by looking at two who could actually be happy.

Chloe was still talking as they walked out of the restaurant, Tiana only giving few words here and there or just humming in agreement.

When their teacher let them know they had a few hours to themselves to go explore, she felt like for once luck was on her side.

"So, just because he didn't text you back doesn't mean he doesn't want to talk." Chloe said after the teachers gave them a go-ahead to go see the sights.

"I appreciate the help, Chloe. Really, but I don't think he wants to talk." Tiana said and nodded her head in the direction of said guy where he was making plans with Marinette and Nathaniel.

"What even happened?" Chloe asked, but before she could even think if she wanted to answer that another voice broke her away.

"There you are, my little _cucciolo_!" Tiana's eyes immediately left Chloe and she whirled around to see the owner of the voice.

" _Nonna_!" Tiana rushed towards the woman without another word, ignoring that she wearing an expensive black dress and wrap and launching herself into her grandmother's waiting arms.

Grandmother laughed openly as she hugged her back, and for the first time since the night before Tiana felt like things would get better. Like she wasn't losing a battle that only she was fighting. She felt safe and welcomed.

"It's only been a few weeks, my dear. But it is so wonderful to see you." Grandmother smiled down at her warmly when she was released from the warm hug that she always received from her. "Even more so to see that frown turn into a smile once more." Tiana smiled a little easier at her words, not surprised she had been watching for a little while without her knowing.

What else would she expect from the woman who used to be the Drakon that had her eyes on the entire city?

Her classmates whispers reached her at last, reminding her of where she was. Turning back to a now surprised Chloe, her eyes moved to the side as she saw Adrien not far behind Chloe.

Their eyes briefly met before she broke the gaze this time, turning back to _Nonna_.

"Let's go see the city, _Nonna_. Chloe, would you like to join us?" Tiana asked, briefly looking back at the blond as Grandmother chuckled softly in front of her.

* * *

 **I'm sorry, I know a few of you were waiting for the kiss! Then I turned it into this, but it just makes things more interesting! It finally happened, just it wasn't technically on purpose. Both technically made mistakes here, now they're just going to have to figure out how to fix it together.**

 **Who was expecting Chloe though, of all people, to be the one to help in this situation? Obviously, she's not as bad as they thought. Considering it took Chloe's nudging to get Tiana to realize just how deeply she hurt Adrien by pushing away.**

 **I can only imagine what will happen when others find out.**

 **Anyways, before I continue on I want to say something first. FunkyFandom, thanks so much for reviewing last chapter. The comment about Tiana being a Mary Sue drew my attention cause, this chapter obviously, she does have her flaws. She doesn't typically willingly allow others to help, which is prideful. A lot of things she does is prideful actually, for instance egging on Ladybug about Rogue Wolf when she met her on the balcony.**

 **Then there's the fear of commitment loosely touched upon this chapter. But either way, thank you for your comment, I actually laughed because as I read that I was already loosely planning the chapters about her flaws and fears and such. I was about halfway through this chapter at the time too.**

 **Thank you to all of you who have reviewed up to this point actually. I know I've said it before, but every time one of you reviews it helps me to keep on writing and I genuinely enjoy reading each and every one.**

 **Enough rambling, thank you so much for reading! I will see you all next chapter!**


	48. The Accident - Part 2

Tiana genuinely had a nice time with Chloe and Grandmother. She was honestly surprised that she could have such a nice time with someone who, until then, she thought was just a spoiled daddy's girl who always got her way.

But Adrien was right all that time ago. Beneath all that, she's just a normal teen like the rest of them. She can be nice, and keep up with her and Grandmother's conversations about the city that before she had never visited.

For a little while, exploring Rome with Grandmother and Chloe let her forget about her own personal turmoil. Forget that she was possibly losing her best friend over some accident and unnecessary words.

Tiana listened to Grandmother tell Chloe about her time as an actress as they looked around a little souvenir shop. Her eyes caught on a little plushie, walking over to the display.

A small rose to her lips at the General Wolf and Mighty Lion toys, surprised that any store in the city still carried General Wolf anything. Lion would always be an ever present part of the city, but Wolf?

It felt a little weird to see the General Wolf toy after all this time, but her chest felt a little lighter at knowing not everyone had forgotten about her. Given up hope on her like most had.

Her eyes moved back to the plushie that drew her over, plucking up the little kitty cat.

This was a first that she's seen any Ladybug or Chat Noir merchandise in Rome. Looking in the eyes of the little plush cat that resembled Chat Noir though made her happy to see it was here.

Made her realize that, even though she shouldn't have gotten so close to him because of her own alter ego, she missed the cat.

Right now, more than ever. Because right now he's the only guy she can actually talk to since Adrien didn't want to talk.

"Are you going to buy it?" Tiana looked over her shoulder at Grandmother looking down at the plush Chat Noir. "It's quiet adorable, _sì_?" Grandmother asked as she motioned towards the toy in her hands.

Biting her lip, Tiana nodded before going towards the register to pay.

What's a trip without a few souvenirs?

Walking back out onto the streets with the plush cat tucked against her side, Chloe was waiting with her gaze glued to her phone. "We have half an hour to get back to the rest of the group." Chloe revealed as she looked up from her phone.

"Half an hour? Well, we should get you both back then." Grandmother said before leading them off. While they walked, Chloe once more talked with _Nonna_ about her years of acting.

"You shouldn't have retired so soon. Your shows were some of the best in both Paris and here in Italy." Chloe said as they continued walking, Tiana chuckling softly at how big a fan she was.

Grandmother was well known, no matter how many years passed. It probably wouldn't matter how much time passed, she was one of the greatest actresses as far as many were concerned.

Not to mention how long she had done it for. If there was one upside to holding a miraculous other than being able to help people, it was the longevity that it provided.

Come to think of it, she thinks she remembers Grandfather telling her of a friend of his who holds a Miraculous and is nearly two hundred now. She had to wonder how old her grandparents actually were...

When they turned onto the street where they were to meet up with the rest of the class, her chest started feeling heavy again. She almost dreaded seeing the perfectly coiffed blond hair of her supposed best friend as they looked at their class down the street.

"Would you mind if my Granddaughter and I have a few minutes before she joins the rest of you?" Grandmother spoke up and pulled her out of her internal turmoil, looking to her in confusion.

"Alright, it was nice meeting you." Chloe said before Grandmother hugged her goodbye and she left, leaving her with the woman who Tiana now realized likely knew something was wrong.

"You know already, don't you?" Tiana asked once Chloe was sufficiently out of range.

"Of course I know, I'm your grandmother. Its my superpower to know when something is bothering you." Grandmother mused with a soft smile as Tiana flickered her gaze up to the black haired woman beside her.

"Are you sure it's not that you have people keeping an eye on me like Mother does?" Tiana asked, and knew her answer when Grandmother's usually happy blue gaze softened a little.

"I hear it's about a boy. Is this boy your boyfriend, darling?" Tiana groaned at her Grandmother's immediate jump to her dating.

" _Nonna_ , I'm not dating." Tiana reminded, since she should know better by now.

"Of course you're not. You know, I always hoped that you'd come home one day with that blond boy of yours and tell all of us you two have finally seen the roses together." Grandmother mused and Tiana groaned loudly at her mention of Martinus.

" _Nonna_ , we aren't going to date!" Tiana whined, tired of this after almost ten years of knowing her best friend.

"Well certainly not, not with this other boy." Tiana sighed at how teasing her grandmother could be. Her and grandfather definitely deserved one another.

If only they could actually be together.

"So tell me, what happened then? Has he told you he has feelings for you?"

"He kissed me, _Nonna_." Tiana said bluntly, looking down the street towards the crowd of her classmates.

"Your first kiss!" Grandmother cooed so loudly Tiana whirled on her and tried shushing her as best she could. " _Finalmente, che meraviglia!_ Was it everything you had hoped for?" Grandmother cooed as Tiana's face burned with embarrassment at the coddling of her grandparent.

"He's my best friend, Grandmother. Not to mention he's dating my other friend." Tiana revealed, which that finally seemed to sober her happy grandparent up as her thankfully quiet cooing ceased.

" _Un infedele_? And you call him your best friend?" Grandmother questioned her, and Tiana once more wanted to shrink in on herself. She wanted to correct her that Adrien was anything but unfaithful, that it was both their fault and an accident.

But she didn't want to talk about it anymore at remembering he didn't even want to talk it out with her like she had asked at lunch.

Grandmother sighed before she felt her arm wrap around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. Was this kiss what you wanted?" Grandmother asked, Tiana replying with a shake of her head. "So it was intentional from his end?" Grandmother asked next.

"No, it was an accident." Tiana said, catching a glimpse of said guy down the street now joining the crowd with Marinette at his side. Her chest ached once more before turning away from the crowd.

"An accident how? Were you all getting into things you shouldn't have last night?" Grandmother asked and Tiana cast her an innocent look. To no avail did it work though, since trying to hide anything from her was pointless much like with Grandfather.

"We might have had a bit too much wine with dinner. But that had nothing to do with it. Grandmother, we were hugging and I went to kiss his cheek as thanks for talking to me about how scared I am to date, and I guess he went to kiss my temple and it just happened." Tiana explained, clutching the plush cat against her side as she wished it would somehow make things better.

"A simple mistake. Talk to him, my dear. If neither of you wanted for it, then just explain your feelings to him. If he's your best friend, I'm sure he'll understand." Tiana looked away from Grandmother and down at the plush cat in her hands. "Unless there's more that you have yet to tell me." Grandmother continued when Tiana looked back up.

"I told him it shouldn't have been him. I pushed him away like I've done to others before, _Nonna_. I hurt him when all he wanted to do was help me. I never thought it would be with him, I was upset and let my feelings get the better of me." Tiana muttered quietly as she looked back down at the toy in her hands.

Grandmother hummed before the toy was taken from her hands. "Such a cute little thing. Much like that cat that visits you in the night." Tiana looked up at her in shock at how she knew that. "Don't look so surprised, you are too much like your Grandfather and I. Right down to the night time visits with a handsome man dressed like an animal." Grandmother mused with a wistful smile as Tiana chuckled softly at knowing how they had snuck away many times just to see one another.

"Does Grandfather know that he visits me?" Tiana asked, as he never let on that he knew.

"Of course. He lives under that same roof with you, darling. He knows almost everything that takes place underneath it. Perhaps he hasn't told you he knows because he's hoping you'll come to him yourself and share. He does love your talks together." Grandmother reminded with a warm smile that made Tiana now feel guilty for hiding from Grandfather that she was being visited by one of the heroes of Paris.

Great, now that will add to her list of things to feel horrid for.

"Is this the one you hoped to share your first kiss with then?" Grandmother asked after a moment of silence.

"I'd considered it, but it probably wouldn't have happened." Tiana admitted, as she had thought about it on a few occasions. She wasn't sure how she really felt about the alley cat, but she knew he was interesting and kind. That even considering their alignments he for a little while made her feel something.

Though, she couldn't fight knowing that she did feel something when Adrien and she kissed the night before. Maybe it was just because it was her first kiss. Maybe that was what it was supposed to feel like the first time.

"How do you feel about each of these boys?" Grandmother asked, and she genuinely was at a loss for words on the question. How can she answer that truthfully right now with how confused she feels about Adrien? With how conflicted she feels about seeing Chat Noir when she's supposed to be his enemy and knows she's getting too attached, much like himself?

Grandmother chuckled softly beside her before handing back the stuffed cat to her.

"The blond boy, is that your friend then?" Tiana looked down the street towards her classmates in time to see Adrien talking off to the side with Chloe. "Cause if it is, he certainly can't help himself from looking your way. I'm sure he must want to talk to you, but maybe doesn't know what to say right now much like you." Grandmother mused as Tiana looked up at her once again.

Why couldn't she be as smart as her grandparents?

"Go talk to him, my little wolf. Make things right. It hurts me to see how much pain you are in when you think about what has happened or look his way. You are so young, you shouldn't let something so simple as an accident ruin your friendship." Grandmother said as Tiana hugged the plush cat close by habit.

"And if he won't talk to me?" Tiana asked, as she already tried asking him to talk.

"Give him time. Let him find the words he wants to say, but let him know you will be waiting to talk when he's ready." Grandmother explained before Tiana heard her teachers start calling for her classmates down the street. "You should go, don't get yourself into any trouble, my dear." Grandmother hugged her one more time, letting her feel safe and warm one last time before she pulled away.

After bidding her goodbye and promising to call her should things change, she hurried down the street to join the rest of her class.

Getting back on the bus, she made her way to the back once again as she noticed Chloe sit with Sabrina like usual and wasn't quiet ready to talk with her other friends.

Tucking the plush cat against her side as she sat down, she pulled her headphones out to put them on for the ride.

She was about to hit play on the next song on her phone when the seat beside her was taken though.

Her pulse quickened as she looked at him in surprise, not having expected him to talk to her for a little while longer at least. He could hardly look at her, but yet he sat beside her.

She once again noticed the way his posture was off and his eyes seemed tired, almost defeated as he dropped his bag beside his seat before looking at the plush cat on her lap.

When he looked up and met her gaze, her breath caught in her throat before she looked away quickly.

A sigh let her know he wasn't moving back to his seat with Marinette before the bus started moving.

"Can we talk tonight?" Adrien spoke first and she flinched out of reflex, having thought he was going to say something else. Like he didn't want to talk to her anymore, or tell her how much she had really hurt him.

"You want to talk now?" Tiana replied quietly, as she had asked him at lunch only to receive no response.

"Please, Tiana." Adrien's response was just as quiet as her own. Looking at him, he had his head back against the head rest and his eyes were closed. He looked so tired...

"Why not now?" Tiana asked, realizing just how much she hated seeing him look this way.

"Because we'll have some privacy if we talk later." Adrien answered, Tiana looking down the rows towards their friends to see how Marinette and Alya were sitting together instead of Alya with Nino.

"Alright, later then." Tiana agreed even though she just wanted to get it over with now.

Adrien opened his eyes and looked her way before back down at the toy on her lap. "Chat Noir, huh?" Adrien asked with a weak half smile that didn't quiet reach his eyes.

Tiana couldn't find it in her to banter with him and picked her bag up from the floor to put the toy away for now. She had enough problems already, being accused of seeing Chat Noir didn't need to be one right now.

Adrien sighed once again before turning his attention elsewhere, leaving her to pull her headphones up over her ears again.

Arriving at the restaurant for dinner, this time when she sat with Chloe Sabrina joined them. Even more surprising though was that Nathaniel joined them. Considering his issues with Chloe in the past, she definitely wasn't expecting that.

Adrien once more was with the others, so for the time being she could just think about other things and try to keep the worry about their impending talk at the back of her mind.

Dinner went fine for a while. Chloe and Sabrina talked about the sights of Rome. They even managed to get Nathaniel to talk, though he was more interested in the artistic sides of the city.

Dinner took a turn though when a squeak broke the relative calm. Turning around, she spotted a surprised Marinette looking at Adrien beside her at their table.

Seconds later, Alya tried reaching across the table at him. A smack followed that made even her gasp before Nino yanked her back as she whisper shouted at him.

Adrien held his jaw where Alya got him before the teachers intervened.

No...no no no she knows only one thing that could have caused that.

Dinner couldn't end fast enough after that point.

Keeping an eye on the table, when Adrien stood up she excused herself as well and followed him.

She hardly had to wait a minute near the restrooms for him to walk out, feeling her chest clench painfully at the red mark on his skin. "Tiana, what're you-"

"You told them." Tiana said simply as she looked up from the red welt on his skin.

Adrien just stared down at her for a moment before nodding. "I didn't tell her that it was with you, but I told her. Alya was more angry than she was though." Adrien said before one of the chaperon's walked up to them and tried to usher them back to their tables.

"I'm sorry, Adrien." Was all Tiana could get in before they were separated once more.

For a little bit, her guilt was replaced by anger towards her friend. Over how she could put her hands on her best friend. But there was still that underlying guilt that it was also her own fault. Because she was the one he kissed.

By the time dinner was done and they were getting back on the bus to go back to the hotel, Alya already seemed over it. Walking past her on the bus to sit with Nathaniel, she kept glancing at Adrien beside Marinette every so often. But didn't attack him again at least.

Sitting beside Nathaniel, she noticed he too kept looking at their friends. "Can I ask you something?" Nathaniel asked once the bus started moving.

"Sure." Tiana agreed before noticing the nervous flicker of his eyes to and from her and their other friends.

"Were you the one he kissed?" Nathaniel asked the question she dreaded having to answer. Obviously, he was told by the others already.

"If I answer that honestly will this stay between us?" Tiana asked in turn, hoping to anything that he wouldn't get upset and tell anyways should he agree. When he nodded, she sighed. "It was an accident, but yes." Tiana admitted, waiting for the inevitable pain to show on her friend that had hoped for the two of them to become a thing.

Nat just stared at her in silence for a moment before sighing. "I kind of knew. You both left together last night, there was no one else I could come up with that he could have kissed." Nathaniel reasoned as she looked away from him. "So Adrien then huh?" Nathaniel asked next and she looked back at him right away.

"There's nothing going on between us. We were hugging and I went to kiss his cheek for a thank you like all of us do, and he just turned at the wrong time." Tiana explained quietly, making sure Alya or Marinette weren't possibly listening in on their talk.

Nathaniel was quiet for a moment, and she worried that he was so upset by this news he just didn't want to talk about it anymore. "So is that why you've stayed away from us all day then? Why he's been acting so off?" Tiana nodded in response, not wanting to think anymore about how much she hurt her best friend and now her other friends too.

The wolf is supposed to help, but instead all she's doing right now is hindering Adrien chances at a relationship with Marinette, Marinette's and Alyas trust in him, and Nathaniel's trust in her.

"You two had a falling out?" Tiana tiredly looked at him in response to such an obvious question. "Tiana, I won't lie and say that I'm not a little hurt right now. But it's mainly because you didn't trust me to tell me what's going on. Obviously you two aren't getting together, but this shouldn't stop you from trusting me or still being his friend." Nathaniel said much like the others who have told her of her wrong doings so far today.

"I know, Nat. I know I messed up with him, and I know I've hurt not only him and you, but the others too." Tiana admitted before Nathaniel wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It's not all your fault. You need to learn to forgive yourself, I think that's the biggest issue here. You feel so guilty because of what's happened that you can't move past it and forgive yourself." Nathaniel said and Tiana couldn't help but smile at how her usually shy friend was being so wise.

"When did you become the wise old sage?" Tiana asked teasingly, Nathaniel chuckling softly.

"When I realized after a few years that my own inability to forgive myself or move on kept me from being friends with our group." Nathaniel admitted, Tiana wrapping her own arm around his shoulder.

"Well, he and I planned to talk tonight. So hopefully we'll be able to work it out what happened and moved past it." Tiana said before looking towards said guy again where he sat with Marinette, who was no longer leaning into him like she has been the other times they sat together on the bus.

Did Adrien tell her the full story? That it was an accident? Or did he just tell her it happened before Alya lunged at him?

And why did he not tell her that it was with her? Only give her a half truth on what happened. She was just as guilty and hurt him more by pushing him away. But yet he protected her a little longer from their friends knowing she had a part in the now failing relationship between him and Marinette.

Getting back to the hotel, Adrien stood near the elevator with his hands in his pockets when she entered the lobby. Hardly looking up each time someone passed him. But before she could even get near him to go have their talk, a hand caught her by the scruff of her neck.

"Girl, you need to hear the news." With a yelp, Tiana was dragged into the elevator by Alya with Marinette at her side and Adrien looking in at them in surprise before the doors slid shut.

"Alya-"

"Girl, he kissed another girl. Marinette's boyfriend kissed another girl." Alya practically seethed at mentioning Adrien as Marinette's boyfriend, but Marinette beside her shushed her.

Though she still looked sad none the less.

"I told you Alya, we aren't together. You guys just started that rumor on the plane." Marinette corrected their protective blogger friend. "But I just...I just can't believe he would do it and wait so long to tell me. What was he afraid how I react, or thought I didn't need to know?" Marinette asked out loud as Alya wrapped an arm around her.

"Did he tell you what happened fully?" Tiana asked and was genuinely surprised she could even talk with the guilt in her chest weighing on her. That she didn't just blurt out that she was the one he kissed.

"No, he just said it happened last night after you two left the suite. Alya kind of stopped him from continuing." Marinette said and waved a hand at her best friend for emphasis.

"Girl, I bet you it was Chloe. Who else would be so horrible as to kiss another girls man." Alya seethed and at the mention of her somewhat new friend, Tiana bristled.

"She's not as bad as you guys make her out to be." Tiana corrected the unneeded crucifixion of the blond girl.

"Why were you even with her today? You sat with her at lunch, dinner and went out with her with that lady that came up to you after lunch. Girl, I give you props for putting up with her." Alya said and went to pat her on the shoulder, but Tiana stepped away.

"I was with her because she was trying to help." Tiana admitted, earning confused looks from both the girls in front of her. "I was the one he kissed last night, Marinette." Tiana finally admitted as the guilt felt like it would become too much. "It was an accident, it never would have happened otherwise. He and I were talking and I hugged him. I went to kiss him on the cheek as a thank you and he turned his head at the wrong time." Tiana explained, unnerved by the way the two girls were absolutely silent for once and just staring at her in disbelief.

"You? It-it was you?" Marinette spoke first after a moment of silence.

"That's why I stayed away today. Because I've felt so horrible and guilty because your boyfriend accidentally kissed me, my first kiss mind you so I wasn't too happy either. He apologized and tried to wave it off last night but I was just in such shock and disbelief that I...I made things worse and pushed him away. Both of us made a mistake, but I tried to hide away like a coward and wish it hadn't happened." Tiana explained, and the elevator doors opened a second later to Nino standing there waiting for them.

Looking to the guy, he looked between the three of them in confusion before they walked out of the elevator.

"I think I need a little bit to register everything you just told me." Marinette said quietly once they reached their door. Without another word, she went inside.

"What just happened?" Nino asked, obviously confused as he looked to Alya.

"I'm going to go talk to her. You...obviously he was waiting for you downstairs so you two should probably talk before I smack you too." Alya said before following Marinette into their suite.

Yeah, getting away from being hit by her sounded the best idea.

Leaving Nino to follow the girls inside, Tiana found herself knocking on Adrien's suite not more than five minutes later.

Back to the scene of the crime.

Entering the room once he opened the door, her heard clenched when she saw him holding a bag of ice to his jaw where Alya had hit him. She barely opened her mouth to apologize when Adrien beat her to the punch. "I'm fine, Tiana. If I don't do this now and it becomes a bruise, Father will never let me out of the country again." Adrien said before waving her over towards the couch across the room.

Sitting down, he joined her a second later and kept his eyes anywhere but on her. "I told Marinette the truth." Tiana began, and that at last earned his gaze.

"You what? Why?" Adrien asked, sitting up straighter as he looked at her like she was crazy for having done so.

"Because if I didn't the guilt would have eaten away at me. Because you're not the bad guy here, Adrien." Tiana reminded him, a little surprised with the uncharacteristic eye roll that earned.

"Alyas just going to tear into you the same way she did me. You didn't need to make things worse for yourself when it wasn't even your fault, Tiana." Adrien argued with her and it felt weird to hear him call her by her name after so many months of being Kitten to him. It made her chest ache a little more at thinking she might have lost that right to be called such.

"Except it was." Tiana corrected him while fighting off the ache in her chest. "You tried to talk it out with me right after it happened, and I ran because I was scared." Tiana reminded him of the real truth of what had happened.

"Why were you even scared? Tiana, I genuinely don't understand. I'm sorry, I know it was your first kiss and you wanted it to be special, but you know you never have to be afraid of me." Adrien reminded her of the other truth she partially knew. While he was right that she didn't have any reason to fear him, he was wrong at the same time in that she had no reason to be scared at all.

"Because I was scared that our friendship was in jeopardy. That our friendship with the others was. Upset that all these situations I imagined it would happen were never to be now." Tiana explained, looking away when his gaze softened on her and a sigh left his nose.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I know you never wanted it to be me, but it wouldn't have ruined our friendship." Adrien said, a bit more bitter at the mention of her words to him.

"I shouldn't have said that to you." Tiana said quietly, once more wanting to shrink in on herself. "You were trying to help, like always, and I did what I do best and made things worse." Tiana said bitterly as she pulled her legs up in front of her on the couch.

"You don't make things worse, Tiana. You have such a lack of confidence in yourself, but it was just a bad situation from the start. We both did things that didn't help, made mistakes, and paid the price." Adrien said as she propped her arms on her knees.

"You didn't deserve to hear that it should never have been you though, especially after just talking about your situation. That was uncalled for." Tiana reminded him before her arms were pulled from her legs and she was turned to face the blond boy beside her on the couch.

"It was you upset, Tiana. You had a right to be, and I just...I overthought it and let it get under my skin when it really shouldn't have. I shouldn't have walked away, I should have stayed and tried to make sure you were alright." Adrien said as she felt her eyes begin to burn at how completely broken he looked. How she was at fault for hurting her best friend so when all he ever wants is to help her.

Adrien looked up at her and dawned a shocked look for a second and she rubbed at her eyes. A quiet curse left his lips as she pressed her palms to her eyes. Seconds later, she was enveloped in a warmth that could rival her own Grandmothers hugs, pulling her hands away from her face as he pressed her into his chest.

"Please don't cry. That's the absolute last thing I want to see." Adrien said quietly, his chest rumbling against her with his words. For a few minutes they stayed like that in silence as she pulled herself away from the edge of crying, unable to deny that just being able to hug him helped a lot.

As his fingertips grazed over her back soothingly, she finally felt like things weren't as bad as she thought. That they would get better, were already getting better. How much she missed this in the little while since last night.

Adrien sighed against her as she wrapped her arms around his sides. "We can keep talking about this, but can we just...stay like this for a little while?" Adrien asked, and for the first time Tiana giggled, real and unforced, since the night before. "Too much to ask?" Adrien asked as his hands halted on her back.

"No, I like your idea. I'm probably less likely to cry if we do." Tiana answered honestly, and his arms tightened around her. Another giggle left her at his actions.

"Let's not have that." Adrien said as he shifted them to a more comfortable position of him with his back against the arm rest and her over his legs. "I hated not being able to talk to you today." Adrien revealed as she pulled back a little to look up at him.

"Let's...keep talking about this so it won't happen again then." Tiana offered, earning a small half smile from the boy before he nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **Let me first begin by saying, there was a lot that happened this chapter.**

 **We finally get to see the infamous woman told of that Grandfather Bastien was never allowed to have. For a little while at least, but that won't be the last we see of her. Then, to make things even more interesting, Tiana actually enjoyed hanging out with Chloe and even stood up for her to her friends.**

 **I think that was an even bigger shock than the fact that her and Adrien accidentally kissing.**

 **But on that note, we see the two finally talk a little. We don't get to see just yet how it really effected Adrien, but the guilt that Tiana felt over not only it happening but how she treated Adrien was immense. At least they're still going to talk about it more, after all the cuddles are out.**

 **Thank you all as always for reading! For putting up with my currently erratic updating schedule as I still have some trouble finishing chapters on schedule. With chapters like these, I can't help get excited and type them out faster than others. Thank you as well to those of you who leave comments, as I always love reading them.**

 **I'm going to go continue on the next chapter, so I'll see you then!**


	49. Magnetic

Tiana pulled the blanket tighter over herself, trying to stay hidden beneath it as the blond boy beside her laughed openly.

It was nice hearing him laugh after all the drama, but at the same time she wanted to throw a pillow at him as he was laughing at her reaction to what he had said.

"Don't be shy. Take it as a compliment, Tiana." Adrien continued to tease as she turned her body away from him on the tiny couch.

Sure, it's totally a compliment.

"Come on. Just say thank you and I'll leave it alone." Adrien bargained with her but she kept her back to him. "Kitten..." Tiana whined at him now that he used her nickname, before he leaned over her to look down at her with amusement dancing in those green eyes.

"Can we just go to bed?" Tiana asked instead of playing along. She was happy they were talking again, and discussed most of what needed to be talked about right now. But her body was starting to fight back for the lack of sleep the night before.

"Tell me, then. I told you what I thought about it." Adrien reminded and smirked at her when she rolled her eyes at him. "If we can't laugh at what happened, Kitten, then we haven't really moved past it yet." Adrien said while leaning further into her side as he looked down at her.

"If I answer can we drop it?" Tiana asked, Adrien nodding in response before pulling away and laying on his back beside her when she rolled back onto her own.

"I told you, it's been a few years since I kissed anyone. It felt nice, even considering it was unintentional." Adrien mused as he rested his head on the arm rest and rolled his shoulders before looking back at her with a small smile.

"Hush." Tiana said while holding a finger in front of her lips, Adrien's only response a deep chuckle.

"Tell." Adrien said after a moment of silence.

"Fine." Tiana hissed reluctantly before rolling over to face him fully. "It wasn't...horrible." Adrien laughed openly at her words and her face began to burn with embarrassment.

"That's how you describe your first kiss? That it wasn't horrible? Not say "Oh it was nice, Adrien." You just say it's not horrible?" Adrien asked through his laughter, Tiana throwing the blanket he had given her a little while ago over him and moving to crawl over him to get up. "Oh hey, no come on." Adrien caught her by the hips when she went to get over him, making her straddle his waist as he finally stopped laughing.

"No, you're being a jerk and I want to go to bed." Tiana argued, but Adrien held firm instead of letting her go back to her room.

With an unimpressed look, she put all her weight down on him and earned a grunt of surprise that forced his hands to let go. Stepping over him, Adrien sat up as she went to grab her shoes to head back upstairs.

"Kitten, come on. I'm just teasing you like always. You can do it back, you usually do." Adrien reminded her as she grabbed her shoes and sat on the bed to put them back on. "Please don't leave yet, alright. I just..." Tiana looked up at him as he stood from the couch and ran a hand through his hair. "After last night and today, I just want to spend a little time together being normal instead of thinking about what happened." Adrien said, Tiana halting in putting her shoes back on.

Her heart thumped against her ribs once more before dropping her shoes back onto the floor.

"Will we still be the same even after this?" Tiana asked quietly, Adrien sitting beside her on the bed not a second later.

"I think we will. We were able to talk about it at least, so that's a good sign. Plus, you're my best friend Kitten. I really don't want to lose you over accidentally taking your first kiss." Adrien admitted before she leaned her head onto his shoulder. His own rested atop hers after.

"Guess it's better it was you than some stranger Mother forces me to kiss for a show." Tiana mused, giggling quietly when Adrien sarcastically chuckled beside her.

"I'm sorry it wasn't up to your expectations." Adrien said after she pulled her head back from his shoulder, patting his arm as he had apologized enough already.

"When I think about it enough, expecting something like a balcony kiss or roses before hand just seems like fantasy. In all honesty, this was probably the most exciting outcome, compared to being forced to do it by Mother." Tiana explained in hopes of lightening his guilt about it.

Adrien was quiet for a moment, and upon looking closer she noticed the thoughtful look in his green eyes before he turned his body to face her on the bed. "Do you regret it? At all?" Adrien asked, and she just blinked and stared at him for a moment.

Did she regret it? She wasn't sure how to answer him, because while last night she did and whenever she sees Marinette she does, sitting beside him and talking about the reality being that she likely wouldn't have gotten to make the choice herself makes her at least a little happy that it was him.

That it wasn't some stranger, but her best friend who fortunately she hasn't lost because of it. Even though she's not sure how he really feels about it aside that it was nice since he hadn't kissed anyone in years.

Tiana was about to try her best to explain, but Adrien looked past her as the door opened to the room. Turning to see Nino, she felt Adrien stand from the bed beside her. "Oh good, you two made up at least." Nino commented as he walked in, letting the door bang shut behind him.

"Are they still upset?" Adrien asked, reminding Tiana of her guilt once more as she would have to go back to their room soon and see for herself just how much she'd hurt her friends.

"Alyas almost over it. She feels bad for..." Nino gestured to Adrien's cheek as the blond rubbed it. "But she's almost over the whole situation since Tiana explained better why it happened." Nino shifted his gaze to her as Tiana stood from the bed.

"Which you still didn't need to do." Adrien said while giving her a pointed look as she grabbed her shoes once again.

"Yes I did. You don't need to make a martyr of yourself when it wasn't your fault alone." Tiana argued once again, rolling her eyes back when he did so to her.

Nino's snickering drew her attention away from the boy as he flopped back onto his bed. "You two can argue about who's at fault for doing what another time, just kiss goodnight so we can all go to bed." Nino teased, and not seconds later Tiana's face burned with embarrassment at his words.

"Nino!" Adrien shouted before grabbing one of the pillows from his bed and whipping it at the boy, who only threw one of his own back.

"Well while you two have your little pillow fight, I'm going back upstairs to get some sleep." Tiana announced as they continued whipping pillows back and forth across the room. "Night, boys." Tiana said with a two finger salute before making for the door.

"Hey wait." Tiana barely opened the door when Adrien popped up beside her again. "I-I can walk you back upstairs if you want." Adrien offered, and Tiana chuckled a little when Nino mockingly made smooching noises and Adrien sent him a fierce glare.

"It's fine, Lover Boy. It's not that far of a walk. Not like walking around Paris at night." That earned her a questioning look as he no doubt probably assumed she took midnight walks around Paris now. "I'll see you both in the morning." Tiana said simply instead of saying more, enjoying the idea of leaving him wondering.

This time, when she actually walked out of the room, it was a few seconds that she thought he actually listened to her and was letting her walk alone before he followed after her. "Kitten, you're going back to them alone after what's happened. You told me to not make a martyr of myself, what are you doing?" Adrien asked the moment he caught her a few doors away from his own.

"Going to bed?" Tiana asked in response, which earned her a pointed look. "I doubt they're going to want to talk about it tonight. I'll probably be fine to just go in and take a shower and by the point I get out they'll likely already be in bed themselves." Tiana explained with a shrug as they walked.

"And if not?" Adrien asked, Tiana bumping her hip against his for the unneeded protectiveness.

She already has an overprotective wolf and cat, she doesn't need him to be so as well. She can handle herself.

"I'll be fine, Adrien." Tiana assured, but the boy walking beside her didn't look very convinced. "You can't protect me from them, Adrien. Both of us have to own up to it and deal with the consequences. I doubt that Alya will put her hands on me like she did you." Tiana said, frowning when Adrien raised his hand to cover the spot that she feared might bruise.

She could only imagine the backlash that would cause if he developed one. His father would likely never let him go with them anywhere again.

"It's because of both of us that this happened, so I think both of us should talk to them together. Instead of you doing it alone." Adrien said once they started heading up the stairs.

"We will, when Marinette is ready." Tiana agreed, once again noticing the thoughtful look take over her friend.

"You didn't answer me if you regretted it happening." Adrien said after a minute of silence, Tiana sighing through her nose as she had hoped that she had avoided that answer.

"Adrien...I really don't know how to answer you." Tiana tried her best to explain. "I'm glad that my first kiss was with my friend, but I regret it at the same time because not only did we end up hurting each other with the fallout but our friends, your girlfriend." Tiana reminded, wondering why he wanted to know this answer so badly.

"Again, Marinette and I aren't dating." Adrien corrected with an annoyed glint in his green eyes.

"It's still the point, Adrien." Tiana reminded, halting in her step and waiting for him to turn to her. For a moment, she saw the way his usually bright green gaze seem faded before it flickered away just as fast. "I don't know why you have to ask this. You don't regret how Marinette is hurt right now?" Tiana asked, Adrien looking away in shame not seconds later.

"Yes, of course I regret hurting her. I would never want to her any of my friend, Tiana. I just..." Adrien trailed off with a sigh and she just wanted the conversation to end. To go back to smiling again like they had and leave these important discussions for another day so they could let the pain from the last day fade away more.

"Can we come back to this another day?" Tiana asked when it looked like Adrien was struggling with his words. "After last night, I don't want anymore sadness or angst tonight." Tiana explained when Adrien looked to her in surprise for the request.

Adrien nodded slowly before she realize at some point they had arrived outside her shared room with their friends. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Adrien said as he dragged his hand through his hair, looking to the door before back at her.

"It's fine that you asked. I just can't give you an honest answer right now, Lover Boy. When we finish our talk about what happened we can talk about that too, deal?" Tiana asked, Adrien simply nodding and she couldn't help frown at how his smile no longer was present like it had been after they made up downstairs.

After a moment more of silence, she stepped forward and reached her arms up around his neck. It took him not even a second to wrap his own arms around her lower back and she felt his chest rumble against hers in a chuckle. Well, at least she knows hugs work on him.

"You should head inside and get some sleep, Kitten. Tomorrow's another busy day." Adrien reminded her quietly, but she didn't retract her arms from him and nor did he.

"The same could be said to you, but yet you're still hugging me." Tiana teased lightly, Adrien chuckling again before she felt his nose bump against her neck and felt as though something felt familiar. Like someone else has done the same exact thing but she can't quiet place who.

"You're still hugging me too, Kitten. So one of us has to let go." Adrien pointed out, warm breath ghosting over the skin of her neck before she pulled away reluctantly as she felt the uncomfortable warmth flush her cheeks again.

"Goodnight, Lover Boy." Tiana said after he let go of her as well to let her go to bed.

Without any other words, she opened the door and went inside, catching the smile Adrien sent her before the door closed behind her.

* * *

Adrien leaned back in his chair as he watched Nino gorge himself like he hasn't eaten in days. "So are you nervous?" Nino asked after swallowing his food.

"I'm more nervous about if the girls were fighting all night than if one of them is going to smack me again." Adrien admitted, pulling out his phone and using the camera to check that his cover up was sound.

He could not let any of the paparazzi take a picture of the new bruise he now had. If Father saw...

"I doubt they'd put their hands on you again, dude. I was asking if you were nervous about seeing your Kitten again by the way, not the other two." Adrien looked at him in confusion only to see the devious glint in his best friends eye. "I tried coming back to the room early last night and saw you two cuddled up on the couch. Don't try to tell me you don't want that "accident" to happen again." Nino teased, Adrien groaning and wishing there was a pillow to whip at him.

This was going to be something he'll never hear the end of while sharing a room with his best friend.

"Nino, I really don't want it to happen again. She didn't want it, she regrets it, it shouldn't have happened." Adrien repeated the same thing he spent all night tormenting himself with.

When his dreams weren't plagued with reminders of that electric kiss.

"You can keep telling yourself that." Nino replied before giving his full attention to his girlfriend who had finally arrived.

"You two didn't wait for us?" Alya asked as she took a seat at their table, giving Nino a kiss on the cheek and him a smile that didn't make him worry for his safety anymore.

"I did, Nino on the other hand..." Adrien gestured to his best friends now empty plate. "Where's Mari and Tiana?" Adrien asked, as usually they all stuck together.

"They're...coming." Adrien didn't like the way she spaced her words out like she was thinking about it.

"Are they finishing the talk I walked up to last night?" Nino asked before he could ask his own question.

"Yes, yes they are." Alya answered honestly, Adrien seconds from getting up to go make sure Tiana didn't have to do it alone when Alya gave him a pointed look. "This is between them now. You can talk to Marinette on your own, but she needs to hear it from one of her girls that she's not trying to steal the guy that promised to date her." Alya explained, Adrien sinking back in his chair in defeat.

"Tiana genuinely regrets it, so obviously she's not trying to steal our dude here away." Nino said and when Alya wasn't looking sent a pointed look tipped with a smirk his way.

Why do both of his best friends get such a joy out of his torment?

"Alya, I understand what you mean by she needs to hear it from Tiana. I just want to make sure they're both okay and that Marinette doesn't hate her for an accident." Adrien explained himself before noticing the duo of raven haired girls across the room now.

Alya too noticed because almost as soon as he did. "Looks like she doesn't hate her." Alya mused as he watched the two walk together towards them and be met half way by Nathaniel.

After the three took a seat, he just sat in silence and watched the two girls to see how they acted. After a few minutes, he noticed that they weren't acting the way he feared and felt some of the tension rise from his chest.

It disappeared the rest of the way when he felt a foot nudge his under the table and looked up to see the gentle smile his Kitten was sending his way.

Once breakfast was finished, they were once more getting on the bus to go to their destination for the day. He was going to sit with Marinette to try to talk to her in somewhat privacy, but Nathaniel beat him to the punch sadly.

Instead, he sat one row back with Tiana. "You're awful quiet today, Lover Boy." Tiana mused as he sat down.

"Did everything go okay with Mari?" Adrien asked quietly, as the girl in question was only right in front of them.

"Yes, Mr. Bodyguard, everything went fine." Tiana replied and he gave her a weak glare in response to the nickname. All she did in response was laugh at him.

"You're terrible." Adrien replied after her laughter died down.

"But you love me." Tiana said back without skipping a beat, and he felt his chest ache at her words.

Love her. She was his best friend, and he had a crush on her. But he really shouldn't. She doesn't feel the same way, she probably won't ever feel the same way.

He'll always be stuck in the unrequited love dilemma, won't he?

"Adrien?" Adrien turned his gaze to her upon hearing his name leave her mouth to be met with a concerned look in her blue eyed gaze.

"Yes, Kitten?" Adrien asked in response, thoughts wandering when his gaze dipped to her lips.

He wish she hadn't regretted it.

Why couldn't it have felt like sparks to her the way it had to him?

"Are you alright?" Tiana asked quietly, no longer teasing and jovial as he leaned his head back against the head rest.

"I'm fine, Kitten. Just tired." Adrien answered, not entirely a lie as he was in fact still tired. But how could he tell his best friend that he wished she didn't regret that he was her first kiss? That he couldn't stop thinking of those few seconds when her lips were against his own.

Tiana just stared at him for a moment in response. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine." Tiana said and shrugged her shoulders before turning her gaze back in front of them. He shouldn't be surprised she knows it's not just that he's tired.

"Tiana..." Adrien sighed through his teeth when Alya stood from her seat behind them and leaned over between them.

"So, are we going souvenir shopping today? It's not fair that only you got to get a souvenir so far. You used to live here." Alya said as she jabbed Tiana in the shoulder with a finger.

"Are you just jealous because I got a plushie and you didn't?" Tiana asked, Adrien leaning his elbow on his arm rest and resting his chin in his palm.

"Well as cute as the little Chat Noir one is, I'd rather get a Ladybug one. Or maybe a Rena Rouge one if they have it." Alya mused, and his attention was drawn at hearing his alter ego be mentioned.

"I don't know who that is." Tiana said before he could ask if she actually bought a Chat Noir toy. His heart was racing a little quicker at the idea.

Maybe she doesn't like Adrien, but could it be possible that she would like Chat Noir?

"You're joking-"

"You bought a Chat Noir plushie?" Adrien asked instead of letting Alya go on her rant over Tiana not knowing who Rena was. It has been a while since Rena has been seen, it's not Tiana's fault she doesn't know.

"You should have seen her this morning." Alya spoke before Tiana could, Adrien recognizing that devious smile as she started tapping at her phone screen.

"Alya don't you-" Alya shoved her phone in his face to the point he had to lean back to look at the screen. The picture on the screen made his heart race a little faster though.

Tiana was still in bed, but had a little black stuffed cat hugged against her side while she slept. That's a new one for his Chat Noir merchandise.

He couldn't deny how mixed his feelings were on knowing Tiana had it though. He was really happy she did, but at the same time felt a little gloomy because he only wished she felt something for him the way she might about Chat.

"Too bad you can't cuddle up to the real Chat Noir that way." Alya teased his Kitten and she tried to snatch the bloggers phone, but Alya leaned back and sat back down in her own seat.

That didn't stop Tiana though as she jumped up and turned around to face the girl behind them.

Adrien rolled his eyes as the two bickered on, it ending up lasting until their teacher lectured Tiana about safety and had her sit back down in her seat.

"I think it's really cute that you have it. Now he'll be with you wherever you go." Adrien commented the moment their teacher left them alone.

That earned him a bump of Tiana's shoulder into his own.

"You're as bad as her." Tiana grumbled and jabbed a thumb back behind them where he could hear Alya now talking with Nino.

"Hardly." Adrien replied with a small snort at the accusation. "My teasing is cute and lovable." Adrien continued with a confident boost to his moral. For once not needing to wear the mask to smirk at her when her blue gaze flickered his way.

She stared at him a moment before rolling her eyes. "I hardly think cute suits you." Adrien pouted at her words, which earned him a laugh.

"Alright, handsome and lovable." Adrien corrected his previous statement as Tiana snickered quietly at him. As long as he gets to hear her laughter, he would make a jester of himself.

"I think someone's ego is inflating." Tiana mused through her snickering.

"I don't hear you complaining." Adrien pointed out with a smirk as he leaned onto their shared arm rest and locked eyes with her.

Her blue eyes danced with amusement at him and he could just feel himself getting sucked in further.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've got quiet the devious side to you. Lover Boy." Tiana said and his nickname from her rolled off her tongue in a way that made him glad he wasn't Chat Noir right then. The ghostly feeling of his chest rumbling in a purr made him worry it were real for a moment.

"Should I be offended that you don't acknowledge I can be as devious as you, Kitten?" Adrien asked and smiled a little more at the way she rolled her eyes playfully at how he rolled her own nickname off his tongue.

"You're too sweet and innocent." Tiana teased, proceeding to tussle his hair playfully in a way she does to him as Chat.

"Hey love birds, the bus has stopped. So you can leave your flirting for another time." It was like being pulled out of an entirely different world as their gaze at last broke. Looking up at his other best friend who leaned over their seat, he held a knowing smirk on his face.

"Who says we were flirting?" Tiana asked as he too then realized what Nino accused them of. He looked ahead of them to the other seat to see Mari and Nathaniel already gone. Thank god.

"Well, the fact that you two keep inching closer and closer to each other like magnets is one part." Nino continued with his teasing as Adrien pulled away from Tiana, albeit reluctantly, and stood up.

"Just ignore Nino. Let's go." Adrien said and once Tiana stood up he let her slip past him before shooting Nino a warning glare for the teasing.

* * *

Tiana snapped a few pictures of the scenery, swiping away another text on her phone just to take that one picture. In the distance, she spotted Marinette talking quietly with Adrien and surprisingly smiling softly.

That's a good sign.

Her phone buzzed again as she went to open it to take another picture.

"Who keeps texting you so much?" Alya asked from her right, where she was taking videos of the people as they ran about doing their errands for the day.

"My _Nonna_ and my cousin. Apparently he's mad because _Nonna_ spent the day with me yesterday instead of him and wants to make sure I understand that." Tiana explained as she swiped away the text without even looking at who sent it.

"Seriously? You haven't seen her in a while, he should be more understanding." Nathaniel stated and she nodded in agreement with him.

"You'd think. But Vin is used to getting what he wants since I've been gone apparently." Tiana said with a shrug before Nino leaned on her shoulders and stopped her shrug midway.

"Let's go get some pictures of those love locks on the nearby bridge. I'm sure it has nothing on our bridge." Nino said and before she could even say a word was caught between him and Alya as they dragged her away to continue exploring.

"There's so few of them here." Alya commented as she took a picture of the padlocks on the little bridge.

"They cut them off regularly. They don't want teenagers tarnishing the beauty of the city." Tiana explained, as she had seen it for her own eyes plenty of times when out as Wolf.

"That's horrible. They should just let people show their love freely." Nino said as he fiddled with one such padlock.

"Isn't the other reason they cut them off because of safety regulations?" Nathaniel asked her, which she nodded in response to as she once again felt her phone buzz in her pocket.

Not a second later did she hear a loud crash from somewhere behind them.

When that loud crash was followed by gasping in screaming, she turned around to see a lone figure standing near a pile of rubble as people ran away from him.

Alya gasped excitedly behind her before a howl suddenly left the figure and it dashed into the fleeing crowd.

"Is that an Akuma? Outside of Paris?" Nathaniel asked in disbelief, and she didn't want to believe it herself. But there was no question from how quick the figure angrily flipped a vehicle.

"Guys, we should move!" Nino yanked her and Nino back as a bicycle went flying over the bridge in front of them.

This wasn't Paris, this was Rome. There was no Ladybug here to help, and the last sighting she heard of Mighty Lion was too back in Paris.

There was an angry person in Rome causing destruction, and no one to stop them.

"Oh my god, where's Marinette and Adrien?" Nathaniel asked, and at that Tiana shifted her fleeing path to see a blonde and black head moving in the crowd far from them.

The same crowd the Akuma howled and ran after.

With her friends fleeing away behind her, and the other two in front of her she felt Verro shift against her chest. "You should probably get out of here, only heroes can work this one out." Verro spoke up from beneath her collar.

Heroes? Heroes that were nowhere near the area.

Tiana changed her path once more and dashed towards the nearest alleyway.

"What are you doing?" Verro asked, phasing through her shirt once they were alone in an alleyway.

"No one is near to help, Verro. Nonna retired Ember long ago." Tiana reminded the little Wolf Kwami floating in front of her.

"So, what's your point?" Verro asked as he folded his paws over his chest.

"My point is there's only one option here Verro." Tiana pointed out calmly, watching the way his brows raised curiously in front of her.

"Really?" Verro asked, a small smile raising to his maw.

"Verro, let's howl!"

* * *

 **Ooh, that ending there! Well, cliffhanger. I can only wonder, who is it that's going to save Rome? Will it be the wolf, the lion, or will Ladybug and Chat Noir make an appearance outside of their usual jurisdiction of Paris?**

 **There's quiet a few things that happened this chapter though. Quiet noticeably the sneaky little flirting bits. Or the fact that Adrien and Tiana sort of finished their talk. Granted, there's still much to discuss. But for the moment things are good.**

 **Then there's the fact that near the end there we see Adrien and Marinette finally alone together. Can only imagine the talk they must be having. At least Marinette was smiling, sort of. Maybe we'll figure out what happened there between the two next chapter.**

 **More importantly, how long before Adrien get's his full answer on if Tiana regrets what happened still?**

 **Anyways, thank you guys so much for reading. Even more for your patience since my schedule for updating has been so off. I'm trying to work on this as fast as I can, but at the same time life is fighting me on my time for writing. I promise, I won't give up. No matter how much time passes between chapters, it's still going to see the next one.**

 **Thank you though as always for reading! For leading comments and everything else you do! I'm going to go work on the next chapter, so I'll see you then!**


	50. Bad Dog - Part 1

Marinette was nervous about being around Adrien alone. Yes, she believed Tiana that what happened was an accident. But could she believe Adrien? After all, he spends more time with Tiana now than he does with her.

But their friends were nearby taking pictures and having fun. She just had to keep reminding herself that this was Adrien. No matter what, he's not going to intentionally do something to upset or hurt her.

Key word being intentionally.

She caught her negative thought and reminded herself of Tikki's words from this morning. No matter how bad it may seem, things will get better. Stay positive even if it seems like things are bad.

"Are you still upset with me?" Adrien asked, pulling her from her mental mantra to ease her nerves.

Marinette took a moment to collect herself before replying. "No, I'm not upset with you anymore." Marinette replied, and felt a little guilty at how he looked like a literal weight had lifted off of him. Was she worrying him that much?

"I know you talked to Tiana already, but whenever you feel like you're ready to talk to me, I'm willing." Adrien admitted, and while she did want to know if he truly regretted it the way Tiana did, at the same time she couldn't help worry that he would say the opposite.

But how can she really be so upset about this when they're not even dating? It was Adrien even who corrected their friends that they weren't. No amount of comforting from Tikki or Alya will stem the worry that Adrien just isn't as into her as she is into him.

"Can we...talk about it later?" Marinette asked, having to fight herself just to say that. She knew deep down this wasn't the right time nor place. "Let's just have fun today, counteract yesterday." Marinette explained, actually happy when Adrien chuckled and smiled at her words.

"Sure, of course Mari. Just let me know when you're ready. Until then though, how's about some pictures?" Adrien offered with a big smile that was impossible to say no to.

Marinette finally smiled and nodded eagerly before Adrien led her about to take pictures, for a little while forgetting about the rest of their group.

It was just nice to have one on one time with Adrien.

But all good things always come to an end, don't they?

Adrien had barely asked her if she wanted to go take pictures on a nearby bridge when a loud crash from nearby made her attention shift.

Her veins ran cold like ice when she looked over to see a looming figure standing atop a pile of rubble before people started panicking and fleeing. It howled before dashing off the rubble after the civilians.

Vaguely, she felt a tug on her wrist as she watched the panic ensue. How was this happening? This wasn't France, this was Italy. Hawk Moth usually sticks to Paris!

"Marinette!" Marinette was pulled from watching the Akuma toss a bicycle by Adrien tugging on her wrist. Looking up, she barely caught his gaze before he began leading her away. "We have to get out of here." Adrien reminded her of what normal people do.

Wait, can she even transform here?! This is a whole different country, and it could look suspicious if Ladybug made an appearance at the exact same time a group of students from Paris was visiting. Couldn't it?

Some people could put two and two together and start narrowing down the options among their class. Then they'd eventually figure her out!

It felt a little wrong to be freaking out over this as they ran among the panicked civilians, there were more important things. But could she really transform here? Was there any other options even at that?

They were stopped suddenly from getting away, and Adrien stepped in front of her. Looking over his shoulder, a gasp involuntarily left her lips as the Akuma crouched not more than twenty feet in front of them on the street.

It looked like a teenage boy. But whatever Hawk Moth used to get to him made him look like a cross between boy and feral dog. Crazed yellow eyes glared them down between wild black bangs, and a howl left his lips.

Marinette's fingers curled against the back of Adrien's shirt, about to yank him out of the way to at least try to protect him.

But before the Akumatized boy could even move one foot, a soft thud sounded between them and it.

Marinette peaked open her eyes that she hadn't realized she closed and gasped softly as she spotted the person between them and the Akuma.

"It's quiet rude to terrorize tourist, little _cucciolo_." There was no way...

"Don't call me that!" The boy snapped at her, lunging forward with a growl.

In a flash of movement, the white haired girl standing in front of them pivoted on her heel. The boy skittered past her for only a second before he was snatched by his tail with a yelp and tossed backwards.

"Now now, it's only a pet name." Was this Rogue Wolf?

The girl leaned on a black staff with her left hand, her other hand propped on her hip as the Akuma rolled back over onto all fours.

If it was Rogue, that certainly was the cockiness she knew her for. If maybe more subdued.

She would need to get a look at her face to be sure. From behind, the black suit and white hair are similar though.

Before she could even try to get a better look though, Adrien began leading her backwards and away from the scene slowly. Looking up at his face, it seemed like even he couldn't help be curious about this situation though.

If this is Rogue Wolf though, what is she doing here? This far from Paris, the last place she saw her. And better yet, why is she helping them?

* * *

Tiana leaned on her cane casually as she studied the angry boy in front of her. He seemed familiar...

"General Wolf?" The boy questioned, and she flashed her teeth at him in a smile as he remembered her name. "You're supposed to be gone." The boy snarled angrily, fur bristling as his tail swooshed behind him.

"Now that sounds like a rumor to me." Wolf responded, and with a growl the boy charged at her once again. Bracing herself, she was mildly surprised when he moved to the right and rounded her.

Pivoting quickly, she tossed her cane into the air and caught it between her teeth before lunging after him. Her conviction to stop him only rose when she noticed it wasn't her he wanted, but Adrien and Marinette who had been slowly making their departure.

Felt odd being in uniform around her friends.

Though it was mildly amusing how Adrien was covering Marinette from the angry Akuma with his own body.

Wolf didn't let the Akuma get more than ten feet before she pounced on his back and rolled. The moment her back was on the ground and his stomach in place, she kicked with all her strength.

A yelp left the boy as he went flying back down the street.

Rolling back over onto all fours, she gave the two down the street in the opposite direction a glance as she dropped her cane from her teeth. "You two should get to safety, I can handle this little guy." Wolf advised the two and didn't even wait for an acknowledgment before dashing off after the Akuma as he got to all fours and took off away from her.

It felt strange to be back in Rome transformed. Even more so that she was here as General Wolf instead of Rogue.

The cons of having to keep the public from thinking both were one in the same. Now for the first time in years they were once more seeing the General Wolf they wanted gone so long ago.

The boy ran like a wild man through the streets, and fortunately she kept up pretty well while dodging around debris he would kick up or stray civilians.

"You don't have to run, if you just calm down we can talk through why you became this." Wolf tried to coerce him into peacefully halting his run.

"No! I became this because this is the only way to get their attention!" Get who's attention? It's progress at least.

Wolf went to open her mouth to ask who, but the Akuma chose that moment to basically bulldoze his way through a crowd and send everyone in it flying.

Leaping forward, she grabbed a lady and her child before they could hit the ground and set them back on her feet before pivoting and grabbing a man by the back of his belt to keep him from falling face first into a pile of heavy looking bags.

Fortunately everyone else found their footing on their own, so ignoring the screams, gasping and whispers she continued her pursuit of the rude Akuma.

This was her first real clash with an Akuma where there wasn't the oh so amazing Ladybug near to purify the little bug that flew out after the fight. So she was going to have to figure out what to do with the insect herself.

As well as figure out where it was hiding.

Wolf began advancing on the Akuma once more further down the street, dodging when the boy looked back at her and knocked projectiles her way. "You're trying to outrun a wolf, sweetheart. You're not going to get away that easily." Wolf advised as she got mere feet behind him.

That worked to get him to stop, but he rounded on her with a snarl and teeth trying to snap at her as she jumped back and her cane popped up from it's hiding spot in her boot and extended into his path.

The moment his teeth closed on the metal, she twisted the cane in her hands and flipped him over onto his back.

The boy rolled over though and swiped out at her legs, bringing her down to his level. She rolled over onto all fours in time to dodge to the side as he went to snap his teeth at her.

With a growl from him, she kicked out at his legs as she rounded him. Instead, he lunged to the side and she lunged forward and slammed her shoulder into his own.

The Akuma growled loudly at her for the hit before charging forward at her once his footing was back. Dodging to the side, she realized her error when she felt a tug on her tail.

Without a second beat, the Akuma yanked her by the tail and threw her into a brick wall.

"You can't stop me from finding them." Wolf narrowed her eyes at the boy as his claws dug into her wrists while he held her against the wall. "Now they won't be able to ignore me." The boy spat angrily, Wolf pulling her head back when his teeth came inches from snapping at the tip of her nose.

"No, you're right they won't. But neither will all of Rome. And because of the way you're acting right now, you likely won't get whatever reaction you're hoping for out of them." Wolf advised, watching his face carefully as she spoke to see if he would realize his mistake in letting anger win out.

Instead the Feral Dog Akuma just snorted indignantly at her words. "Who cares. I want them to know how angry I am. I want them to see what they caused. That it's THEIR FAULT!" The boy howled angrily, and when he went to snap at her face again she had managed to use his lack of focus from anger to get her leg free and slam her knee up into his stomach.

A yelp came from him, letting go of her wrists. Bringing her elbow to the side, she knocked him back from her person space a few feet.

How is she supposed to know where the little bug is hiding that needs to be removed?

The boy shook his head as he clambered to his feet once more, and she noticed a hand go over his wrist. With a second glance, she noticed the way the fur parted. Something must be there, hopefully whatever needs removing.

"You should understand!" The Akuma snapped, and she gave an unimpressed glance at his angry eyes at how he was trying to sway her allegiance to him. "This city kicked you aside the same way they did to me! How could you still defend them after they did that to you? How can you not be angry?" The Akuma snapped furiously, and before she even could contemplate an answer he took off running once more.

Wolf sighed through her nose before taking off after the boy once again. Doing this alone without a partner is going to take too long, time she potentially doesn't have to spend.

* * *

Adrien struggled for a little while keeping his eye on both Marinette and making sure the Akuma didn't follow them. It was like she was in amazement by what had happened.

Well, he was a little amazed himself. But he knew better than to let his personal emotions get in the way of his or other people's safety.

Why was Rogue Wolf here? Or General Wolf as she had been called by the Akuma? Or were they two different people? She sure looked a lot like she has each time he's encountered her.

Minus the goggles or the utility belt around her waist. Not to mention her hair wasn't purely white and spiked red in the bangs like that picture he saw all that time ago.

His head started to hurt a little from over thinking it, so he focused on Mari again who was trying to get a hold of the rest of the class.

They were a bit away from where all the screaming and panicking was coming from, so for the moment they were safe.

The other thing that kept bothering him though was that he kept trying to decide if he should get away and transform. But it would look suspicious, wouldn't it? He's far away from his usual city, and he's not sure if people would be committed enough to track down who went from Paris to Rome at this time and start narrowing down suspects.

He would ask Plagg if it were safe, but he can't exactly ask with Marinette right beside him.

"It looks like we're supposed to be making our way back to the bus." Marinette spoke up and pulled him from his thoughts. "I still can't get an answer from Alya or Tiana though. Nathaniel says that he's with Nino and Alya, but you know how Alya is." Marinette explained and he couldn't resist the eye roll.

"This is not the time or place to be taking videos." Adrien reminded, Marinette nodding in agreement to his words before he realized she said Nathaniel was only with Alya and Nino. Where was Tiana, she was with them last they saw all of them.

"Nat says he and Nino are working on getting Alya to go back to the bus with them." Marinette advised as he pulled out his own phone and sent Tiana a quick text.

"Tiana wasn't with them?" Adrien asked as he started leading Marinette in the direction of the bus.

Marinette seemed to pick up on what he already noticed at that. "No, Nat said he was with Nino and Alya. But he didn't say anything about Tiana. Weren't they all together earlier?" Marinette asked, and he nodded before checking his phone for a reply.

A reply that still had yet to come.

Adrien took a deep breath to steady his growing worry. Tiana used to live here, she's probably fine. She's probably either holed up somewhere safe or already back at the bus.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's probably with her Nonna." Marinette offered after a minute of silently walking, and trying to ignore the distant sound of chaos.

He felt a shift against his shoulder blades and wished he could ask Plagg if it were safe to transform and help in a whole different country. Instead, Plagg is stuck hiding in his shirt and he has to get Marinette somewhere safe.

The few minutes walking in silence felt like forever. The inching of guilt into his mind over not transforming and helping was beginning to get to him, he needed to figure something out.

When finally the bus came into view, he felt like he could breath again as he spotted almost their entire group huddled around it. But then he realized there was still one person missing.

"Mari, you have to see this!" Alya pulled Marinette in the moment she spotted them, and he looked around for somewhere to go to potentially transform after talking to Plagg.

His search ended when a blur smashed into the building behind the bus, another jumping right into it seconds later with another loud crash.

Just like that, everyone in the area started panicking once more.

Adrien sighed through his nose, wishing there could be peace in his life for once. The Akuma tumbled out of the hole in the building first, followed by Wolf who just barely missed tackling it as it jumped up and lunged to the side.

Most of the class fled with the teachers, and he was about to go in a different direction to find a place to hide and talk to Plagg if it were safe to transform. But his black cat luck caught up to him.

Marinette caught Adrien's hand with her own and began leading him this time, not giving a second glance at the chaos as he mentally cursed his luck.

He needed to help, somehow. And he can't do that if he's with the class the entire time.

Adrien took one last look back at the now stand off between Wolf and the Akuma, which he's just going to nickname Bad Dog at this point, before Marinette pulled him down the street the rest of their class was fleeing down.

"I hear there's a Bad Dog in Rome today. Don't worry about animal control, the Mighty Lion is here!" Adrien barely caught a glimpse of the same guy that interrupted the Beast fight back in Paris as he flew over the rooftops while announcing himself to the villain.

Should he be offended or no that he used the same exact nickname for the Akuma that he had come up with?

"Mighty Lion! I need to see this!" Adrien barely caught Alya as she tried to go running past him back in the direction of the fight, Nino wrapping his arms around his girlfriend from behind and beginning to drag her back.

"No you don't! You already risked yourself enough recording earlier!" Nino protested as Alya whined and tried to get free from him. Marinette finally let go of him to help Nino control Alya, so he tried looking for a way to slip away again.

For once, luck was on his side when a bunch of dogs ran through the street and distracted everyone. With the distraction, he had enough time to slip away from the others. It'll suck later trying to explain what happened to him, but he can't just sit around while there's an Akuma around.

"Kid, you sure about this? You seemed really unsure about it earlier." Plagg voiced his opinion the moment they were alone.

"Am I risking my identity if I transform here to help?" Adrien asked as Plagg hovered in front of his face.

"Well, we Kwami have plenty of tricks to keep you humans from recognizing who is under the mask. I think the only risk that would come is if you make it obvious by sneaking around. You have to have a good alibi for why you disappeared for a while." Plagg explained, Adrien leaning his back against the brick wall of the alley.

What kind of excuse could he have other than oh he got separated from them on the street the fight wasn't taking place on?

"Kid, if you're that worried about it then you probably shouldn't do it. It could get in the way of your work. Plus, who even wants to work." Adrien glared at the Kwami for his typical lazy attitude. Now was not the time.

"What can I really even do to help? Without Ladybug, we can't purify the Akuma." Adrien reminded, not wanting to think about if the bug got free and began multiplying because she's not here to cleanse it.

"Maybe you should just get out there and figure out what's gonna happen. Instead of whining like a little Kitten." Adrien's attention shifted at the mention of Kitten, checking his phone once more for a reply from his own. "Kid, you really just gotta tell her. I'm tired of all the woeful sighs or doe eyes you make after her." Plagg said, and Adrien did his best to not react to the teasing.

"Alright Plagg, we'll hang back a little bit and if it looks like they need help we'll jump in." Adrien explained, his Kwami not looking too interested though.

"So does this mean Claws Out?" Plagg asked not a second later as he looked around quickly to make sure there was no one watching.

* * *

Wolf flipped backwards out of range of the raging "Bad Dog" as she heard her old partner shout from somewhere nearby. She shouldn't be surprised that he would show up, he can't resist making an entrance.

Nor can he resist a challenge.

When a stray dog lunged for her with teeth barred, she pivoted on her heel and grabbed it by the scruff of her neck and gently tossed it back at Bad Dog.

"It's not very fair to bring in some street dogs." Wolf pointed out as a few of the stray canines stood by side with the Akumatized boy.

This needed to end before he caused more damage than he already has. Wolf turned her eyes to the sky and let out a long, piercing howl that made the strays even whine and cower.

Not seconds later did she get howls back.

"I may have been gone a while, but I still have my skills." Wolf reminded the boy, who barred his teeth and snarled angrily at her. When he went to rush once again, he was stopped by a blur landing on him from above.

"So this is the Bad Dog then. While I would thank you for reuniting my lovely Wolf and I after all this time, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to collar you." Wolf rolled her eyes at the bantering of Mighty Lion as he kept a boot down on the back of the boy.

"Get off me!" Bad Dog snarled, and Wolf had to cover her mouth to resist the urge to laugh when with a bark from the Akuma, the strays all pounced on her surprised former partner.

"Wha- hey!" Lion protested as he tried to get the angry dogs off of him, but he also gave Bad Dog the opportunity to slip away from him.

Wolf walked forward before he had much a chance to get away from Lion. "I'm giving you one more chance. If you calm down, we can talk this out like civilized people." Wolf offered as the boy hobbled to all fours.

"Not before I find her first. She'll regret choosing her puppy over me!" Something clicked in Wolf's mind at his words, a different face flickering in over the angry fur covered one snarling up at her.

"Vin?" Wolf felt stupid for a moment at taking so long to recognize her cousin. That moment was all he needed as he lunged forward at her with teeth barred.

Wolf felt her reflexes kick in as he aimed to bite at her, slamming her knee up into his stomach. With a yip of surprise from her Akumatized cousin, she grabbed him by the wrist and flipped him over her shoulder.

Wolf turned to face the now dazed Bad Dog as he lay sprawled on his back on the ground.

"My wolf's still got it." Wolf couldn't help roll her eyes at her old partners comment, bending down closer to her dazed angry cousin.

"I'm sure the women you're angry at didn't mean to make you feel this way. But using your anger like this to try to get their attention won't help, it will hurt you, them and the greater public." Wolf lectured the younger boy beneath her as he shook his head and sat up.

"How would you know? You're a coward, running away instead of facing the problem! I'm going to face the problem, and I know exactly where my supposed _Nonna_ is going to go looking for her next!" Bad Dog snarled, Wolf narrowing her eyes at him as he jumped to his feet.

The sound of something being kicked nearby drew both of their attention, and Wolf only needed to see blond hair for her body to react. The moment Bad Dog charged after her stupidly curious friend, she leaped forward and threw herself between the two.

Teeth snapped down on her calf and a yowl left her lips before she brought her other leg into her cousin's cheek. He only moved back an inch before leaping again.

Barring her teeth right back at him, Wolf felt a burst of energy as she stood her ground between her Akumatized cousin and her friend. Just before Bad Dog could get any closer, a barrier broke the air between him and her that drew from him a loud howl of pain and surprise.

Wolf's eyes widened in surprise. Looking up, it was like an energy shield had appeared right in front of her to block the attack and protect herself and those behind her. Looking down at her arm drawn in front of her protectively, she looked back up at the shield that she noticed had spots that looked like the wolf tooth from her necklace and images of a howling wolf.

Did she just create a shield? If so, since when can she do that?!

Bad Dog stood stunned on the other side of the barrier, so she looked back at her surprised friend behind her. She wanted to be angry that he would be so stupid as to still be out with danger around, but she couldn't spare the time with her angry cousin. "You should get back to your group. This is no place for you." Wolf lectured him as he blinked those bright green eyes at her in surprise for only a moment before turning around and running off.

If only he listened to her that way when she was Tiana.

"Cool new ability." Wolf had honestly forgotten for a moment that Lion was still here.

"It doesn't matter what you pull out to try to calm me down or stop me. I'm going to go find my Grandmother, then her Princess Tiana is next!" Bad Dog snarled from the other side of the shield as she spared a glance at her partner- ex partner. Surprise and confusion flickered on his face briefly before his usual charm returned once more.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but the only way you'll get near either of them is if you can get through us." Mighty Lion warned and flexed his arms at the angry boy in front of her. "Might be more enjoyable to take a whack at me than them. Come on, I enjoy a little challenge." Lion taunted before going quiet when she shot him a warning glance.

"I'm not going to give up without a fight!" Bad Dog snarled, and once more the wild dogs of the street began to crowd around him defensively.

On cue, howls from her rear let her know that her own army wasn't far behind either.

"Then I guess we'll have to stop you by force. I gave you a chance." Wolf reminded, before lunging forward with Mighty Lion coming from the right.

Bad Dog barked and snarled before his dogs pounced, Wolf easily avoiding each snap of teeth and slash of claws as her cousin tried to make a run for his actual target.

Ironically, one of which was stood right in front of him.

Wolf dropped to all fours to chase after the angry boy. "Lion, I trust you can handle the strays while I go after the wild one." Wolf commented as she darted past the man as he easily blocked the attacks from the riled up canines.

"You can count on me, General." Mighty Lion replied with a wide grin and a wink before she was gone after the running Akuma.

At least he's able to put aside their differences of the last two years for the greater purpose of protecting the city.

General Wolf dashed after Bad Dog as he barreled down the streets at full speed, jumping over obstacles and even trying to kick some into her path. She avoided each one with ease as she figured out where his direction was taking him.

Straight towards the hotel that _Nonna_ knew was where their class was staying. The same hotel the rest of her class was probably already back at. Meaning if she didn't stop him between here and there, Nonna wouldn't be the only one endangered.

Wolf took a deep breath in through her nose. There was no way she would allow him to reach that hotel. She might not have the tools and tricks of Rogue right now, a bit out of practice as General.

But just like he thinks nothing will stop him, nothing will stop the Wolf from protecting her pack.

* * *

 **It's only just beginning! Bad Dog is still on a rampage, but General Wolf and Mighty Lion are right on his tail! I wonder if they are the only ones who will show up for this fight though. Guess we'll have to wait and see.**

 **I apologize, yet again, that this update is so delayed. I've been trying to work on it, then getting distracted by all the shows that have just come back on for the fall, like American Horror Story Apocalypse. I'm still trying to get my schedule back, so please continue to have patience with my erratic update schedule.**

 **Ooh though, it seems both Marinette and Adrien are seeing the similarities between the General and the Rogue. The ensuing battle, if they choose to participate or not, could possibly aid or squash those curiosities between the two. Interesting though how Adrien tried to keep an eye while in civilian form.**

 **Well, I'm going to go work on the part two of this split chapter. So I will see you all then!**


	51. Be My Valentine Valentine's Special

**Happy Valentine's Day to all! Warning: This chapter is a special, so therefore not considered canon to the future of this story.**

* * *

It was that time of year again. That time of year decorated with hearts and reds, pinks and chocolate. That time of year that so many people got so excited about.

He used to be excited about it too, back when he thought he would have a chance to spend it with his Lady.

But yet again, he was single this Valentine's day. Alone while the rest of Paris had someone to share their day and their love with. Even most of his friends had Valentine's today.

Nino was taking Alya to a Heroes themed party down by the Seine. Nathaniel was taking Marinette on a art crawl around Paris. Chloe even has a date with a model she met at her father's hotel.

The one that stung the most was his Kitten even having plans today with her other best friend, Martinus.

Adrien had planned for weeks on a way to ask her if she would be his Valentine today. He even considered asking as Chat Noir just because his higher confidence as his alter ego, but decided against it because he didn't want to share her on this day with his other self. He wanted to finally be with someone on the day of love.

But his always cursed luck would never let him have the one thing he wants most.

Instead, he would yet again be alone while the girl he wants to be with is out with someone else.

Adrien slumped against the hard wood bench he was sat upon and sighed as he watched yet another couple walk hand and hand through the park. Flaunting their love to the world while he was denied the gift.

Plagg groaned from his hiding spot, drawing Adrien's attention momentarily away from all the love around him. "Kid, why are you tormenting yourself by sitting here watching everyone? Let's just go home, stop depressing yourself. You're ruining my date." Adrien rolled his eyes at Plagg's comment of a date, as his date only involved him hugging his Camembert before shoving it in his mouth.

"It's better than sitting in my room alone. Watching those valentine's day specials they always put on TV. At least here I can enjoy the nice day." Nice day that he wasn't lucky enough to share with the woman he adored.

"While watching other people and thinking about how you wish you could be with your Kitten." Plagg reminded him cruelly, Adrien slumping more in his posture. The Kwami sighed from his hiding spot not a second later. "Kid, you're killing yourself over something so trivial. It's just a normal day, it's not special. You can ask her to do something with you tomorrow." Plagg tried to make him feel better, but the bitter sting in his chest wouldn't allow it.

First, Ladybug. Now it's Tiana. He's cursed to fall for women who won't love him back, isn't he?

Plagg squeaked before he felt him bury inside his shirt, not bothering to check to see what startled him out of his last spot.

When the bench creaked beside him, he looked up from his distant stare on the ground. "Hi, Lover Boy." Adrien had to blink a few times, unsure if he was really seeing her beside him right now.

But there she sat, bright blue eyes staring back at him and that warm smile that he loved once more on her lips. "Tiana?" Adrien questioned, embarrassment flushing his system at his first word being how incredulous he was about her being beside him when she had plans today.

"Yes, you act like you've seen a ghost, Lover Boy." Tiana teased, giggling for a moment and relieving the embarrassment he felt. "Why're you sitting all alone in a park on Valentine's day, didn't you make plans today?" Tiana asked, and he looked away again as the bitter sting returned to his chest over being reminded he was alone.

"This was my plan for today." Adrien revealed, nodding his head towards the park around them. "Wait, why are you here? Where's Martinus?" Adrien asked and took a look around for the prince in question. "You two had a date today, didn't you?" Adrien asked upon not spying the guy in question anywhere.

Tiana laughed and he frowned at the idea of her date with Martinus. Maybe they already had it and it was magical and everything she had ever hoped for. Maybe he's getting her a gift and she's just here waiting. "You're funny, Lover Boy. I'd never go on a date with Martinus." Wait what?

"But...you two had plans today." Adrien was thoroughly confused.

"Yeah we make plans every Valentine's day. It's our own way of sticking it to Valentine's day as two people who usually spend it single." Tiana explained, confusing him more but at the same time helping him feel a little better as at least she wasn't dating her other best friend. Giving him another chance, maybe.

"So...where is he then?" Adrien asked after letting her creative way of spending Valentine's sink in.

A glance at the girl beside him showed a somber smile on her lips now. "He had to cancel. Urgent business that he didn't even have a chance to tell me about, I'm used to him bailing by now." Tiana said with a shrug, Adrien frowning a little at how her tradition was canceled by her best friend.

"I'm sorry, Kitten." Adrien apologized, scooting closer to her and patting her hand with his own.

"It's fine, like I said I'm used to him having to cancel. Just usually not on Valentine's day." Tiana shrugged before tilting her head his way. "So you chose to spend your day sitting and people watching at a park?" Tiana asked, and his face flushed in embarrassment at hearing what he was doing out loud.

"It's better than spending it alone in my room." Adrien reasoned, but only felt more embarrassed at admitting that out loud.

Tiana hummed beside him as he watched yet another couple walk hand in hand into the park before adverting his gaze. "No one should have to spend Valentine's day alone." Tiana mused, and he remained silent as that was how he spent each one. Never lucky enough to have someone to share it with.

If only he had asked Tiana back when he first considered it, instead of planning it out and losing his chance to Martinus. Now she might not even be in the spirit to-

"Would you like to spend the day together, Adrien?"

Wait, did he just hear that right?

"W-what?" Adrien stuttered, looking to her to see her calmly looking back at him as his face once more heated up.

"Do you want to be my Valentine today, Adrien? Is that a better way to phrase it?" Tiana asked, and this time he was sure he must be imagining things. There's no way Tiana would ask him to be her Valentine. No way she would offer him the one thing he wanted most but never got.

"You're serious?" Adrien asked after a moment of trying to figure out if this was real.

"You don't have to say yes." Tiana said and looked away from him, Adrien then realizing the way her face was dusted pink. "I was offering because no one deserves to be alone on Valentine's day, but you aren't obligated to say yes just because I offered." Tiana muttered quietly, and Adrien's heart skipped a beat at not only the fact that she was basically asking him to be her date on Valentine's day but that she was so obviously shy about it.

Adrien turned to face her on the bench and tried his best to ignore his racing heart as he reached over and took one of her hands in his own. "I'd never say no to you, Kitten. If you really want me to be your Valentine, I'd love to." Adrien admitted, smiling at her when she bashfully looked up at him.

Tiana shyly looked away from him and his smile grew at knowing he wasn't the only one nervous. It made it easier to know he wasn't alone, both in nerves and now in having someone to share the day of love with.

"I've never actually had a Valentine before." Tiana admitted quietly, Adrien squeezing her hand gently. "Martinus and I spend it together mainly it's better not to be alone." Adrien's shoulders sagged a little at her words, but more so because at least she had a friend during it. His Valentine's days were spent alone.

"Did you have anything in particular you wanted to do today?" Adrien asked, not wanting to think anymore about how he usually was alone on this day. This year, he gets to spend it with the girl he cares about most. That's the important thing.

"Oh Adrien, I'm sorry. You were spending it alone before I..." Adrien waved her off, not needing an apology for her honesty. Instead of continuing her apology, she hugged herself into his side as his heart jumped at the sudden contact.

"Not alone now, Kitten. So, what were you in the mood for today?" Adrien asked, smiling down at her when she laid her head on his shoulder.

* * *

Adrien laughed triumphantly as Tiana rolled her eyes at his cockiness. She leaned on the edge of the air hockey table as he reached down to retrieve the puck to continue the game. "You realize the next point wins, Lover Boy. Keep gloating like that and I'm gonna be the winner." Tiana teased back as he set the puck up and she got ready to continue.

After a brief brain storm of something to do, they had decided on the arcade because it's casual and fun. So far, it's been pretty nice too. Usually she only came here with a group, not just one person.

They started on the air hockey table almost right away, and it's really amusing to watch the usually humble blonde become cocky. Almost reminds her of another blond boy.

It also feels nice to have the attention of a boy other than Martinus on this day of awkward love and romance. She was scared at first when Verro gave her the idea to ask Adrien to be her Valentine, afraid of both the idea he would say no and the idea that it would just be a day of awkward talks and glances and pining for someone else.

After all, he probably was only spending it alone because the mystery girl doesn't return his feelings.

Stop thinking this way. There's no need to be negative anymore, they're out together and they're having fun. There's no awkwardness or shy glances anymore, they're comfortable together like always and having fun.

"Hey are you hungry?" Adrien asked as they aggressively tried to hit the puck into each others goal.

"Getting there. Should we get lunch after I win this game?" Tiana asked with a smirk his way, eyes lingering for a moment as their eyes locked across the table. His happy green eyes almost glowing back at her, happy to see him so happy compared to when she found him in the park earlier in the morning.

The loud knock of the puck entering her goal broke their gaze as she looked down in shock. "So what was that about you winning?" Adrien asked pridefully as Tiana mockingly laughed back at him.

Whispers caught her ear as she leaned on the table for a moment to watch Adrien smirk cockily at her from the other side. A brief glance around and she found the source, a pair of burly boys standing off to the side and very obviously watching her like she was a sheep and they the wolves.

Tiana stood up straight as she noticed their gaze, taking a brief look at Adrien to see him unaware of the two. "Bet you she'd be a lot happier if we were there. He's probably a pity date." Tiana felt her temper surge a little as that phrase hit her ears from one of the boys.

Adrien would never be a pity anything.

Before Tiana could whirl around and show them who the real wolf was in this situation, they grew enough confidence to walk up to her themselves. " _Bonjour, ma douce_." The same one that threw the snide comment about Adrien greeted her as he ran a hand through his dirty blonde locks, his brunette friend beside him quiet.

Against her more desirable wish for a reaction, she cast a smile up at the boy to try to keep the likelihood of undesirable situation at bay. " _Bonjour_." Tiana greeted back, flickering her gaze down the table to Adrien as he finally realized the two boys interested in her.

"It's such a nice Valentine's day, why spend it inside? Would you like to accompany me and my friend here to grab a bite?" The cocky boy asked, and Tiana vaguely noticed the way Adrien made his way around the table to her as the boy talked.

"As nice an offer as that is, I'm going to have to turn you down. I already have plans." Tiana reminded, as they obviously were eavesdropping on Adrien asking her if she wanted to grab lunch so she wouldn't let them get in their heads that Adrien wasn't worthy of her attention.

The boy took a glance behind her where she assumed Adrien now was. "You shouldn't have to spend your day on a pity date, sweetheart." Tiana frowned up at him at his words, eyes narrowing.

"Excuse you?"

"Can I help you two with something?" Tiana was cut off from ripping into the two boys by Adrien stepping in this time.

"We're just asking the lady if she wants to go on a real date, buddy. Spending Valentine's day at an arcade seems too shabby for such a lovely lady like her." The rude boy spoke to Adrien without looking at him, instead keeping his lecherous eyes on her.

"While I won't deny she deserves a lot more, this was both our ideas. So instead of insulting her, how's about we all just go back to our day and let her enjoy herself." Adrien countered, Tiana about to turn to him when she noticed the way the rude boy's eyes narrowed at her friend.

"Hey, bro, maybe we should just-"

"I'm not trying to insult her, I'm trying to help her. She shouldn't have to spend Valentine's day on a pity date." Tiana could almost feel Adrien cringe behind her at the insult, but whirled on the brute for the direct insult to his face this time. "I can at least promise it will be more romantic than air hockey."

Before Tiana could open her mouth to rip into the boy like the wolf she was, a hand caught her shoulder. She was confused when Adrien stepped protectively in front of her, his hand not leaving her shoulder.

"I don't care if you insult me, but you're not going to insult her. Apologize and we can forget about all of this and go back to our day." Adrien firmly demanded, Tiana's eyes widening at the way he was being so protective over her when he was the one insulted here.

"Me apologize?" The boy asked indignantly as his friend tried to coerce him to just leave.

"Bro, come on, it's not worth it."

"I appreciate you trying to calm your buddy down, but Tiana is worth the world. So she deserves an apology." Tiana's heart raced at Adrien's words as she looked up at the determination on her friend's face.

"She doesn't even look like she wants you defending her right now, let alone to be out on a date with you." The boy retorted, and Tiana glared at him from around Adrien's arm before stepping forward and wrapping on arm around his own and hugging herself into his back.

She felt Adrien stiffen against her touch for a microsecond before relaxing as he looked back at her.

"I don't need an apology from you. All I want is to go have lunch with my Lover Boy here. He's the only one I want to be my Valentine." Tiana admitted calmly, pressing her face into his shoulder out of reflex and nuzzling herself into him. When his familiar scent of grass and expensive cologne hit her nose, she internally cursed her Kwami upon realizing his habits rubbing off on her again.

She's not a wolf right now, she shouldn't be trying to mark her friend with her scent to ward off people that don't understand the gesture.

When the rude boy went to speak again, his friend butted in. "I'm sorry for all this. We hope you two have a great Valentine's day together, we'll just leave you alone now." The nicer brunette boy apologized before shoving his bigger friend off when he started to try to argue.

Tiana waited until they were out of sight before even considering letting go of Adrien. Only when his call of her name hit her ears did she let go. "Are you okay?" Adrien asked softly as he turned to face her fully, her chest swelling with warmth at how even though he was just insulted so many times, he cared more about her and how she was.

Tiana smiled up at him before leaning up and hugging him around the neck quickly, cursing Verro again when she nuzzled his neck before pulling away and taking his hand to lead him as far away from that bratty boy as she could get.

* * *

Adrien kept a protective hand on Tiana's waist as he glanced at his phone with his free hand. He never liked getting on the crowded subways alone, but now after earlier he especially didn't like it if she had to be on it too. "We've got about twenty minutes." Adrien revealed, Tiana standing in front of him with her back to him as they were so crowded in.

Though he didn't mind as much when he at least got to keep her closer like this.

"I'm getting the snacks since you got the tickets." Tiana mused from in front of him, Adrien playfully rolling his eyes at her want to pay for part of their movie plan somehow.

"If I don't beat you to it." Adrien reminded, smirking at her when she looked back at him almost immediately.

The train jerked as she went to talk back, Adrien catching her by the waist before she could stumble and possibly fall. Instead, he fell back into an empty seat he hadn't realized had been behind him.

His face burned hot as he looked up at her, her own face not much better. He's cuddled up to her plenty of times as Chat Noir, but it's so much different when she's on his lap and he's not his alter ego. Come to think of it, she's never sat on his lap before has she?

When the train jerked again, he sat up a bit better and held her closer to keep her from possibly falling off onto the floor. "Adrien?" Tiana asked as he grabbed his phone off the seat where it fell when he grabbed her so abruptly.

"You can stay like this if you want, I don't mind. I'd rather you not fall if the train keeps doing this." Adrien said as he tucked his phone away, trying his best to ignore the fact that the girl he liked was sat in front of him on his legs blushing probably as much as he was.

Tiana smiled softly at him before hugging him yet again. This was becoming more frequent as the day went on, starting after the encounter at the arcade. Doesn't help that when they were at lunch, he noticed his clothes now smelled distinctly like her to tease him to want to hug her too.

It was like she knew she was driving him crazy half the time.

It also earned him much mocking from Plagg when Tiana wasn't paying attention, his Kwami claiming that he was supposed to mark his lady. Not her mark him. He's beginning to wonder if Plagg remembers at times that humans and cats are not the same.

When they finally reached their stop, he was almost reluctant to let Tiana out of the hug. "Let's not miss the movie, Lover Boy." Tiana teased, leading the way off the train as he watched other couples around them coo and point at his hand interlocked with Tiana's.

His face heated up once again before speeding up to walk beside her instead of behind.

Once they got to the theater and got their seats, he felt his pulse quicken at realizing that out of the whole day this right here was possibly the most romantic part of it. Seeing some rom-com together with however many other couples sat around them.

About a half hour in, he decided to just go with it and reached over and laced his hand with her own on the arm rest. He was even happier when she immediately leaned her shoulder into his own and laid her head on his shoulder.

If only this could be more often, instead of just Valentine's day.

Maybe he should just suck it up come the end of the day and tell her how he really feels. That this day means more to him than just not spending it alone.

He spent long enough earlier scrutinizing over her words to the guy from the arcade, wondering if she actually felt the same. Maybe this was his opportunity to come clean.

Once the movie was over when he decided that tonight definitely should be his time to come clean. "Do you want to come over and have dinner?" Tiana had asked him once they stepped outside, solidifying his choice.

"Sure, Kitten. Do you want me to call someone to come get us, or risk the subway again?" Adrien asked as they stood beneath the slowly darkening sky.

"We can take the subway again. Don't make your bodyguard come out of his way to get us. Besides," Tiana began leading the way back to the subway. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy the last ride." Tiana teased and sent him a wink, and he doubled his step after her when she started to run towards the subway.

By the time they walked through the front gates of her estate, his mind was made up. He needed to tell her tonight, tell her that he's had these feelings for her for so long and can't hide how he feels anymore.

"The kitchen staff is making something for us, so all we have to do is wait a little longer." Tiana said as they walked up to the door.

"Did you enjoy today, Kitten?" Adrien asked as she opened the door, looking back at him at his words. "Anything like your past Valentine's days with Martinus?" Adrien asked while trying to keep his jealousy hidden over how Martinus had her for so many past Valentine's days when they weren't even officially Valentine's like he had been for her today.

"No, it was nothing like my past ones with him." Tiana admitted, and he wasn't sure if that meant his own with her was better or worse. "Today was my favorite one so far, it made me like Valentine's day a little more." Adrien perked up at her words, locking eyes with her as she smiled softly back at him with her cheeks once again dusted pink.

"Really?" Adrien asked, taking a step closer and letting her close the door behind them which she proceeded to lean against as she looked up at him.

"I've always felt like Valentine's day was just a screw you reminder to those of us who spend it alone, but today I didn't feel alone. So thank you, Adrien, for being my Valentine today." Tiana professed, his heart racing faster at her honesty as he looked down into her captivating blue eyes.

Adrien was at a loss for words. There were so many he wanted to say, but he was lost on which to say first.

"Thank you for defending me at the arcade, for caring so much about me. You're amazing and deserve the world just like you told that brat at the arcade." Tiana continued honestly, and he finally figured out the first thing he was ready to say.

"I already got what I wanted." Adrien admitted, Tiana tilting her head curiously up at him. "I got to call you my Valentine today, Tiana." Adrien reminded, Tiana giggling that sweet chime that he loved so much.

"You're so cheesy." Tiana teased, stepping closer and wrapping him in a hug yet again. This time, he pressed his face into her neck like she's been doing to him half the day. When he felt her pull away, he slowly parted only to notice an unfamiliar look in her eyes.

Before getting far, she leaned up and gave him what he hadn't realized he wanted all day.

Her lips were as soft, warm and enticing as he remembered from their trip to Italy. Igniting that pleasurable warmth in his chest that he only got with her, that he only wanted with her.

Before Tiana, he never thought he could want something so simple so desperately. But the moment she started to pull away, he stepped right back in and kissed her again. Her back pressed against the door behind her before she reached up and carded her fingers into his hair.

His own hands found perch on her waist as they kissed gently, lips moving slowly together as he enjoyed the sensation of not only kissing her but getting to show her a fraction of how he really feels.

Their noses bumped together as he felt her lips part gently, taking the hint and kissing her a little harder. He barely felt her canine sink into his lower lip before a throat clearing behind him caused them to pull apart.

Looking back, a smug Louie stood a few feet back. "If you two are about done with your Valentine snogging, dinner is ready." Louie revealed, flashing them a toothy smirk before striding away.

Adrien's jaw set a little at the interruption before a pleasurable hum left his throat as he felt lips on his erratic pulse point.

"We can continue this talk later, if you want." Tiana hummed against his skin as he stepped closer to her again.

"That's talking, huh?" Adrien asked teasingly, Tiana pulling her face out of his neck to look up at him with a teasing glint of her own in those blue eyes.

"I mean do you not want to do that again?" Tiana asked, flashing him a toothy smirk that put Louie's to shame.

"I really want to do that again." Adrien admitted willingly, one step closer to admitting how he really feels.

"Then," Tiana stepped forward, making him step back. A finger traced up to his collar bone as he watched her every movement. "We can continue this later. Come on, let's go get dinner, Valentine." Tiana offered, giving him a wink before stepping around him and walking towards the dining room with an extra hop in her step.

Adrien smiled after her before following, thanking his luck for finally cooperating with him and giving him such a wonderful Valentine.

The whole time eating, he could barely take his eyes off her. The boost to his confidence about telling her how he feels is that she could hardly do the same herself. Unfortunately, Louie found it necessary to keep teasing about their "snogging" near the door.

Though it's a lot less embarrassing since Tiana isn't embarrassed by it herself.

Once done, they made their way to the living room as Louie refused to allow them to be alone in her room on Valentine's day. "So...we should probably talk about earlier." Tiana started first as they sat down on one of the couches together.

"I like you, Tiana." Adrien admitted, getting straight to the point as it was probably pretty obvious after what happened earlier.

Tiana like he thought didn't look too surprised. A warm smile was what he got instead. "I like you too." Tiana admitted back, his heart swelling at finally hearing those four words he wanted to hear more than anything else in the world. "I mean, how could I not like you, Kitty Cat." His heart stopped that time.

"W-what?" Adrien questioned, feeling Plagg even stiffen where he hid in his shirt.

Tiana just smirked knowingly up at him now. "You kind of gave it away at the arcade. Only one other person has ever protected me the way you did there. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Besides, now you're my Kitty Cat." Adrien wanted to keep freaking out at knowing his secret was compromised, but that one phrase broke him down as he was then snatched up in a hug again.

"Besides, she's letting you in on a secret herself too." Adrien's eyes found Plagg sitting on the back of the couch, widening as he saw the second Kwami beside him.

"W-wait." Adrien looked between the Kwami and the girl in front of him. "You...you're Wolf?" Adrien questioned, Tiana pulling her face out of his neck to look up at him with that smirk he's used to seeing on the neutral wolf's face each time he sees her.

"In retrospect, we're both kind of blind not to have seen it sooner. But yes, Kitty Cat. I'm both the girls that you had your eye on, just like you're both the boys I had mine on." Tiana admitted, Adrien stunned himself that he never saw the similarities.

"So now that you two finally know, you can get together and stop bothering us with this pining." Tiana's Kwami spoke up, Tiana whipping her head to the side to glare at him.

"Verro!" Tiana barked, Adrien laughing as he thought only he didn't get along with his Kwami all the time.

"We can discuss this later. Right now." Adrien leaned forward and snatched Tiana back into his arms. "Let's finish this Valentine's day out the right way. I like you, my Valentine. Will you go out with me?" Adrien asked seriously, squeezing her arm when he noticed the way her eyes softened to the point he worried she'd cry.

"I like you too, of course I'll go out with you Kitty Cat." Tiana agreed, Adrien grinning as he finally got the girl of his dream. Tiana leaned up and pecked him on the lips before hugging him once again.

"Great, now instead of listening to the pining, we'll have to listen to this mush from now on." Plagg lamented, both happy teens laughing openly at his words.

* * *

 **It's been a while, hasn't it? I haven't forgotten about this story though, I'm still here! Sorry for such a big gap in updates, I moved across country so haven't really had time to work on this story. Though I got inspired to write this special because it was a year ago today that I started this story, inspired last time yet again because of Valentine's day. So what better one year anniversary than to write a special for our kitty cat and his wolf!**

 **In my opinion, it's a good way to spend this day.**

 **I have started on the part two for Bad Dog, but because of my move I haven't gotten further than the first page yet. I promise, now that I'm more settled in I'll try to get back to work on that. Sorry that this wasn't the second part, but I hope it makes up a little bit for the long wait.**

 **Well, I'm going to let you all get back to your Valentine's Day! Happy Valentine's day, from me, Kitty Cat and his Wolf, and their secretly proud little matchmakers!**


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